


Let the [Witch] Games Begin

by LordRebeccaSama



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Black Hermione Granger, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Crack Treated Seriously, Desi Harry Potter, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Fourth Twi-Wizard Champion, Friendship, Gay Rights, Gen, Hexside champion will not be who anyone expects, Human Realm, I put thought into it, Not to be taken seriously, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre episode 18 plot wise but let's pretend Eda's curse isn't AS bad and Luz and Amity are dating, Pre-Episode: s01e18 Agony of a Witch, Slice of Life, Slow Updates, This is basically Owl House ppl and Hogwarts ppl being very confused at the other, You should know the story of HP4 or you will be very confused, Yule Ball (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28052400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordRebeccaSama/pseuds/LordRebeccaSama
Summary: Principal Bump knew his students were getting restless, so he decided that a change in scenery was in order, and what better way to do that than adding Hexside as a competitor in the Twi-Wizard Tournament?Unfortunately Eda was the only adult that volunteered to come along, but it was fine. He could survive eight months with her and a handful of teenagers. Right?Hogwarts won't know what hit it.
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 75
Kudos: 238





	1. They were Bored - Bump

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea the other day, so here's the first bit. I have some ideas, and I haven't decided if it's going to be a full on story (but like in snippets) or just jump around the plot of the book with whatever I feel like writing. Hence, slow updates. 
> 
> Enjoy what it is.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for a change in scenery.
> 
> Field trip time!

Principal Bump cared for his students. That’s why, when he saw they were getting restless because nothing life threatening had happened in the school for over a week, he started looking into field trips he could take them on.

While reading the inter-dimensional newspaper, The Inter-Stellar Times, Bump noticed that three magical schools in the human realm were getting ready to host a inter-school competition. He remembered this “Twi-wizard Tournament”. The danger the tasks presented were always good reading in the next day’s newspaper.He remembered that it was canceled some time ago due to the death toll. As if that ever stopped anyone at Hexside. Cowards.

Maybe it was time to branch out to more magic schools. It would do his students good to learn more about another type of magic and the human realm from more than just Luz.

—

“Okay, students. Does everyone have their permission slips and bags packed?” Principal Bump asked the assembled kids in front of him. It was October 30th in the human realm and they were on their way to Hogwarts.

The Board of Governors at Hogwarts and the various other schools were more than happy to meet a new magical school and have them join the games. It would be a special event with _four_ champions. Hexside would win, of course.

While the other schools would be bringing their oldest students, Bump figured that the level his fourteen year olds were at was about the same, magic wise, even with their specializations. Edric and Emira Blight volunteered to help chaperone the younger kids for extra credit.

Somehow, and oh how Bump hated this, Eda was the _only_ adult that was willing to spend months in the human realm with Bump and a bunch of teenagers. Though, she was pretty much a teenager herself, if he was being honest. It may have something to do with avoiding the Emperor’s Coven, her sister, and guards, but if she was letting them use her human world portal while asking for nothing in return except for coming on this trip, he was going to do it, even though Bump was _sure_ he would come to regret this.

He sent an assessing eye over the teenagers. Gus was almost vibrating out of his skin he was so excited for the human realm while Willow tried to calm him down. Luz and Amity were discussing the types of magic the human realm had. Boscha and her friends were scrolling on Pensta-whatsit. Edric and Emira were counting heads and collecting slips. As they did so, they threw the luggage into the bus’s open mouth.

“Everyone’s accounted for, sir,” Edric said, handing him the permission slips. Bump flipped through them, sighing at the drawing of Eda winking next to her signature on Luz’s slip.

“Perfect. Get them on the bus. We’re just waiting on Eda, now.”

“What do you mean, ‘waiting’? I’m here,” Eda said, walking up behind Bump. In one had she held her Palisman and in the other, that small demon that pretended to be a teacher that one day.He glared at the demon.

It shrunk away in fear. “I’ll just ugh…”it said, “go be with Luz.” It hopped out of Eda’s arms and ran over to Luz, hiding in her’s.

“Why?” Bump asked.

“King would get lonely in that house all alone with only Hooty for company.Come on, Bumpikins, let’s get this show on the road.” Eda jumped onto the bus and leaned against the head.He let it go because she needed to be at the front to open the portal. He got onto the bus. 300 years.He only had 300 years until retirement.

“Remember, students, we’re not only representing Hexside, but Boiling Isles. I expect all of you to behave and show everyone what we can really do.Whomever gets chosen as champion, we will support them.Understood?”

He got some murmurs of agreement, which was good enough for him.He signaled the bus to take off. It rose into the air and Eda jumped off, riding her Palisman just in front of the bus. She did something and the portal appeared in the form of a large brown door with a glowing yellow snake eye on it. For a moment, Bump feared that they would crash into the door, but it opened with a bright white light and Eda sped through it first, followed by the bus.

They emerged in front of a large castle and an assembled group of students. Eda had landed just outside of the doorway, which closed with a barely audible _snap_ once the bus was through. He landed the bus closer to the Hogwarts students and stepped down to meet with Headmaster Dumbledore.

“Principal Bump, I presume,” Dumbledore said. “It’s great that you and your students are able to join us.”

Behind him, he could hear whispering from the humans about his demon, as well as the odd look of his students. They’d have to get over it, or he wasn’t responsible for what his students did.

“Thank you for having us. This will be a great opportunity for them to not only see more types of magic, but learn about your realm,” Bump replied.

They finished getting off the bus and Emira tickled it on its belly so it would cough up all the luggage.

“What the bloody hell?” he heard a student ask.

The bus spit out all the luggage, Edric doing a quick count to make sure it was all there. He nodded and Bump turned back to Dumbledore. “Is there somewhere we can put our bags?”

Dumbledore waved him off. “I’ll have a house-elf bring your bags up to the guest quarters.” A small elf clad in what looked like a pillowcase popped in and snapped, popping away with all the bags.The bus, sensing it’s job was done for now, wandered away towards the forest. It would be fine.

Dumbledore motioned for Bump to go ahead of him into the castle.It was truly beautiful.The founders of the school were geniuses.Bump could feel the ley lines converging on this spot, strengthened by generations of children learning magic within its walls.

He looked back at his kids.They chattered excitedly as they entered the Great Hall, looking at all the magic and human things.The kids took a seat at the end of the red and gold table.A group of still slightly shivering students dressed in thin uniforms sat at the blue and bronze table, while students wearing thick furs were at the green and silver table.

The Hogwarts students trickled in from outside and made their way to their house tables.

“This is gonna be fun,” Eda said, smirking at the students.

“You are not allowed to enter,” Bump replied, as he and the other adults waited in the entry hall for all the students to be seated.

She scoffed. “Why would I want to enter some silly tournament anyway? No, imagine what cool human things are in this castle!”

“Eda,” he started, as they entered the Great Hall themselves and moved towards the top table and took their seats to the right of Dumbledore. “We’re here to make an impression.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

The students at the blue table (Bump really needed to remember the other school’s names.) leapt to their feet as Madame Maxime took her seat, to the amusement of some Hogwarts students.Oh, to have that kind of respect.He could only wish.

Dumbledore remained standing and a hush fell over the hall.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and — most particularly — guests,” he said, beaming around at the foreign students. “I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.”

One of the cold girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh. Bump scowled. She was a guest. At least none of his students were that disrespectful to the school…yet.It was early days after all.

“The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast,” said Dumbledore. “I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!”

“See, Bump, he’s basically telling me I can move in,” Eda said.

“By all means, do so,” Bump replied, spearing what looked like a leg of poultry on his fork, “And don’t come back.”

Eda barked a laugh and engaged with the stern woman who’s hair was pulled back in a bun next to her.It was going to be a long year.


	2. The Fire Cup - Luz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Human food is so weird. Nothing moves.
> 
> Also some people put their names in a fire cup.

For most of the students at Hexside, they knew very little about the Human Realm.Gus, and of course Luz, were the exceptions, but nothing they knew about the Human Realm could have made them ready for the looming castle that housed a school and the beautiful illusion magic on the ceiling of the Great Hall.

Luz has no idea that the Human Realm even _had_ witches.She had meant to ask Eda if this was still her world before the trip, but forgot.Her cell phone had very bad reception.She’d have to fidget with the glyphs on it once they were in their dorms.

She could tell her classmates were apprehensive of the food, while she had no problem digging it to the non-sentient food—finally!

“You’ll like this,” Luz said, spooning some mashed potatoes onto Amity’s plate. “What kind of meat do you want?”

Amity looked around at the dishes. “Do they have boar?”

“This looks close,” she replied and pointed out what looked like pork.

“Luz, can you believe it?!” Gus squealed from across from her.Willow was next to him munching on some vegetables. “We’re in the Human Realm!”

Luz laughed. “Yeah, Gus, pretty amazing.”

“I wonder if they have any pay-per-clops.”

“Probably.”

A black girl with bushy hair leaned over. “I’m Hermione Granger.Welcome to Hogwarts.”

Luz smiled. “Thanks! I’m Luz!This is Gus, Willow, and Amity.It’s awesome to see another magic school. I missed the bus last time we tried to go to a rival school.”

“Where’s your school located?”

“In the Boiling Isles in the Demon Realm.”

“Demon Realm?”

“Hey, Luz!” King shouted, crawling out of her bag under the table. Hermione jumped, shouting.

“What the bloody hell is that?” a red headed boy cursed.

“Oh, this is King,” Luz said, smoothing her hand over his head.“Are you hungry?”

King’s eyes gleamed at the table full of goodies. “Oh, num-nums!” He started grabbing various food stuffs off the serving dishes and stuffing them in his mouth.

“What…what is he?” Hermione asked.

“You’ve never seen a demon before?” Amity asked.

“Demons don’t exist in the Human Realm,” Luz replied. “Or at least, I thought they didn’t. I never saw any back home.”

“They’re missing out,” King bragged.

“Right,” Hermione deadpanned, sharing a glance with the red head and the Desi boy next to her. “This is Ron and Harry,” she introduced, realizing she never said their names.

“Hi,” Ron said, mouth stuffed full of food.

Harry finished chewing. “Hello. You don’t look as old as the students from other schools.”

Gus and Willow twisted in their seats and Luz and Amity stood up a little to look at the other visiting students.

“We’re fourteen,” Willow said, shrugging, “Except for Gus, but he’s a genius.”

Gus blushed. “Oh you.”

“Eda had mentioned something that we’re at the same level schooling wise to the oldest kids,” Luz explained, “Well, she said it differently, but that’s what she meant.”

“She was laughing, wasn’t she?” Amity asked.

“It was a cackle,” King confirmed. “Scared Hooty, and let me tell you, that’s hard to do.” Luz and her friends shuddered at the mention of Hooty.

“One day, that bird tube will die,” Amity growled.

“What?! Amity, no!”

Hermione interjected, “Is Eda the woman up there next to your Headmaster?”

“Principal, and yes,” Amity said.

“She’s my mentor,” Luz said, grinning. “Taught me all kinds of cool magic.”

“What does she teach?” Hermione asked. Luz shared a look with her friends and all four burst out laughed.Eda? A _teacher?_ Too funny! “What?”

Willow was the first to calm down. “Eda’s not a teacher.She’s just the only adult that could chaperone.”

“More like _would_ chaperone,” Amity said.

“She has a portal to the Human Realm,” Gus added.

Luz calmed down enough to also add, “She agreed for Principal Bump to use her portal if she could come along and hide from the Emperor’s Coven.I’m pretty sure she’s going to take the time to collect more human things for her stall at the market, too.”

“Why’s she need to hide?” Ron asked.

“Oh, she’s wanted for crimes in the Boiling Isles,” Luz explained.

“She’s a _criminal_?”

“Ehhhhh,” Luz said at the same time as Amity said, “Yes.”

“It’s not all her fault,” Luz argued.

“Most of it is,” King said.

“King is right,” Willow said, “Eda’s list of crimes is pretty long.Her reward is one of the highest in the Isles.”

“And your principal still let her come along?” Harry asked.

Luz shrugged. “It’s not as if she’d harm us.It’s mostly stealing and property damage.We’ve done a lot of the same just messing around.”

Hermione looked thoughtful. “And she’s your…mentor?”

“Yep!”

“How’d that happen?Don’t you go to school? What’d you also need a mentor for?” Ron asked.

“Well, I didn’t go to school at first.Well, I did, but here in the Human Realm. Then one day Owlbert stole my Good Witch Azura book and I followed him to get it back and met Eda.”

“Then she bullied her into teaching her magic,” King said, laying on the table in a food coma.

“Pfft, no, that’s not what—no!I wormed my way into her heart.”

“Ew,” Gus said, “Can all humans do that?Are you going to do that to me?!”

“What, no! It’s an expression,” Luz explained.

Dinner was replaced with dessert, which revitalized King. “Be careful, or you’ll have a stomachache,” Luz said to him.

“Pah!Food cannot harm the King of Demons!” and he shoved an entire slice of cake in his mouth.

Luz smiled and shook her head, already noting that she needed to get a stomach soother from Eda for the little cutie here.She knew he would regret his choices later.

“Have you thought of anything for your end of semester project?” Amity asked.

“Still trying to work out the glyphs.I want it to _wow_ my teachers!Also, trying to fit in as many disciplines as possible so that I don’t have to do multiple projects is hard.How’s your Abomination coming?”

“It’s good.I’m trying to get it to learn our Grom dance.” Luz blushed.

“Oh,” she squeaked. “Are you?”

Amity blushed in response, leaning closer to Luz.

Willow snapped a picture on her scroll and the two flung apart.

“You guys are _too cute_ _,_ ” Gus gushed.

Willow turned the scroll around to show them the picture.Luz and Amity’s faces were bright red and only inches from each other, soft smiles on their faces.They blushed harder.

“Are you dating?” Ron rudely asked from next to them.

Amity scowled. “Yes. What of it?”

He flinched and held up his hands in surrender. “Nothing, sorry.”

She turned back to Willow. “Can I…um have that picture?”

Willow smiled and sent it over to Amity’s scroll.

Luz leaned over Amity’s scroll as she posted it on Penstagram, both their faces turning red as she did so.Once it was posted, Luz pressed a quick kiss to Amity’s cheek.Gus made a noise that was almost subsonic.

Amity rolled her eyes and made a magenta circle in the air, sending a glow towards Gus.He tried to ask what happened but all that came out of his mouth was silence.He pouted.

“Amity,” Luz drawled.

Amity rolled her eyes. “Ugh, fine!” she made another circle and the silencing spell went away.

“How’d you do that?” Hermione demanded.

“Magic,” Amity replied like the other witch was dumb.

“No, without a wand—”

The food vanished from the plates and the Hogwarts headmaster stood up again.Luz leaned forward in anticipation.

“The moment has come,” said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. “The Tri-wizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket —”

“The what?” Harry muttered.

Ron shrugged. Luz had heard weirder.

“— just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation” — there was a smattering of polite applause — “and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.”

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced.Which, in Luz’s opinion, was quite rude.They set this whole thing up and can’t even be bothered to care? Rude.

“Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Tri-wizard Tournament,” Dumbledore continued, “and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, and Principal Bump on the panel that will judge the champions’ efforts.”

At the mention of the word “champions,” the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, “The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch.”

A scary looking man, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students.

“The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman,” said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, “and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways . . . their magical prowess — their daring — their powers of deduction — and, of course, their ability to cope with danger.” Hexside got this.They faced danger everyday!No one could beat them!

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

“As you know, four champions compete in the tournament,” Dumbledore went on calmly, “one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Tri-wizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire.”

Dumbledore now took out his wand—witches used wands here?—and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, choppy looking wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.

“Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet,” said Dumbledore. “Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the four it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.

“To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation,” said Dumbledore, “I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.Since the majority of the Hexside contingent are under that age, any who wish to participate from their school will submit their names tonight before I place the Age Line.

“Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all.”

While the other schools started to get up and move out of the room to their beds, there was a scrambling of Hexside students to find paper and a pen.

Luz tore a page out of her notebook and starting ripping strips off of it for her classmates.

“You’re really entering?” Hermione asked, still hanging around.

Luz looked up from her search for a pen.

“Of course.Can’t be any worse than Grom.”

“Grom?” Harry asked.

“Demon who shows your worst fear.”

She found a pen and scribbled her name on the paper, passing the pen to Amity, then Willow.Gus was content to wave flags and not participate in the tournament.

“We have those, too,” Hermione said. “They’re called Boggarts.”

“You have _multiple_?” Amity interrogated.

“Yes…?”

“How have you all not been consumed by your fears?”

“Erm, there’s a spell,” Harry explained.

“Oh,” Amity cleared her throat. “Right.Let’s go submit our names.”She scooped up King and started to walk.

Ron grumbled behind them as they walked back to the entrance hall. “Why are _they_ allowed to be a champion. We’re the same age.”

Luz rolled her eyes.

Principal Bump, Eda, and Headmaster Dumbledore were standing next to the goblet, making sure no underage students from the other schools put their names in.A large number of students were hovering—not literally—in the hall waiting for Hexside to submit names.

Boscha pushed her way to the front and smugly put her name in, following by Skara, Amelia, and Cat. A few other students who she didn’t know submitted their names.

Amity moved to put her name in. “Yeah, Mittens!” Edric cheered. Amity scowled at her brother.

“You can do it!” Emira added.

She dropped in her name and stomped back to Luz. “I hate them,” she growled. Luz rubbed her arm soothingly.

Willow was the next to drop her name in. “Ugh, like you’ll get it, half-a-witch,” she muttered to her friends who snickered back.

As she walked back past Boscha, Willow said, “If you’re champion, Boscha, I’ll still cheer for you.” Boscha scoffed.

Luz was the last to submit her name and Eda smiled encouragingly at her.She grinned back and dropped the slip of paper in.

Dumbledore smiled and waved his wand again, setting the Age Line.

As they walked to their dorms, Principal Bump explained they would be figuring out their class schedule tomorrow, but for now, sleep.He didn’t have to tell Luz twice.She was asleep within minutes of laying down.It would be a fun year.


	3. The Choosening - Hermione

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i know in the books, this is like all weekend shit, but like come on JKR, get your calendars right! so ive moved the timeline to just be like an actual weekday. halloween 1994 was on a monday.

“They were weird, right?” Ron asked, unsure.

“Yeah.One girl had three eyes,” Harry said.

“Have either of your ever heard of the Boiling Isles?Or Hexside?” Hermione asked.

Ron shook his head. “Nothing about demons either..”

“Didn’t that Gus say something about the ‘Human Realm’?”

Hermione hmmed in thought. “They did arrive through a portal.”

“Their magic is weird,” Harry said.

“Yeah,” Ron agreed, “they didn’t use wands.Also, why are _they_ allowed to enter?They said it themselves that they were fourteen. _We’re_ fourteen!”

Harry looked thoughtful. “Maybe they count their years differently and they’re actually around seventeen.” Hermione looked at him, eyebrows raised in disbelief. Harry drooped. “Yeah, it was a stupid reason.”

“A bit, yeah,” Hermione said. Harry laughed.

—

The next morning, a Monday, Hermione sat down next to Amity and filled her plate with breakfast. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Amity mumbled around a cup of what looked like coffee.Hermione didn’t even know that the younger years could _get_ coffee.

“What classes will you be in?”

Luz groaned into her plate from Amity’s other side.

“What?”

Willow spoke up from across from Luz. “Principle Bump is having all the teachers give us placement tests in our chosen classes to see what level we’re at. They shouldn’t be that hard, but we’ll all be testing all day.We should be joining actual classes either tomorrow or by the end of the week.” Hermione looked at Luz who was still groaning while eating bacon.

“She doesn’t test well.”

“It’s not that,” Luz explained. “I just don’t like tests. They’re _boring_. I’d rather be doing magic.”

Amity looked a bit more awake at this point. “Depending on what level we’re at, will determine what classes we’re in,” Amity told Hermione. “We can be placed in any class from fourth year and up.”

“Why is that?” Hermione asked.

Ron and Harry drifted down to their seats and started eating.The faster they ate, the sooner they could go watch people put their names in.

Gus spoke up, “We have specialized tracks at Hexside, so some of us are going to know more about certain topics than others.”

“Tracks? Like what?”

“Well, for example, I’m in the Illusion track!” Gus waved his hands and blue sparks seemed to burst from his fingertips for a moment.

“I’m in the plants track,” Willow said.

“You should talk with Neville,” Ron said around the food in his mouth. “He’s brilliant with plants.” Neville looked up at his name and waved shyly.

Willow beamed. “That’s a great idea.” And waved back.

Hermione looked at Amity’s purple sleeves and Luz’s rainbow ones.

“I’m in the Abomination track, which I’ve been told you don’t have here.”

“Not that I’m aware of, no.”

“I’m studying all the tracks.First student at Hexside to do so,” Luz said proudly.

“Wait,” Hermione stopped them, “When you’re in a track do you _only_ study those things?”

Amity shook her head. “Not exactly.We all have basic knowledge of every track.Sometimes people will take a class or two in something that interests them, but otherwise, most of your classes are in your chosen track.That’s why they need to test us.”

“Yeah,” Luz said, “Like Boscha is probably going to be brilliant at potions and in one of the higher classes, but in a lower class for like charms or something.”

“Interesting.”

The day passed quickly after that.Right after breakfast, she, Ron, and Harry watch Fred and George attempt to submit their names, grow beards, and get escorted to the Hospital Wing.After that, it was pretty normal.Hermione saw the Hexside students in passing throughout the day.They had been going to each teacher to get tested during the teacher’s free periods that day.At lunch they were all very focused on eating as much food as they could before a long afternoon of testing.

“Are you all alright?” Hermione asked concerned.

Luz paused in eating. “Magic is tiring, and since we’re being tested on it, we have to try our hardest at each class.So, we’re hungry.” She went back to her food.

Hermione left them alone, but the mystery grew.What kind of magic do they use that tires them out so much after constant use?

“I think some of them can eat more than you, Ron,” Harry joked.

Ron shoved a laughing Harry. “Sod off.” But he was grinning.

They visited Hagrid after their afternoon class and discussed SPEW, watched Hagrid escort Madame Maxime into the Great Hall, and followed the Durmstrang party into dinner. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore’s empty chair at the teachers’ table. Fred and George — clean-shaven again — seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well.

“Hope it’s Angelina,” said Fred as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down.

“So do I!” said Hermione breathlessly. “Well, we’ll soon know!”

The Hexside students were eating as much as possible once again.There was a buzz in the room, people’s visible excitement and nerves getting the better of them for the choosing of the Champions at the end of the feast.

Hexside seemed to be the only ones unaffected by the growing tension around the room, too focused on regaining energy.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff, Principle Bump, and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.

“Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision,” said Dumbledore. “I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions’ names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber” — he indicated the door behind the staff table — “where they will be receiving their first instructions.”

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. At least two students from Hexside’s eyes were glowing in the darkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting… A few people kept checking their watches…

“Any second,” Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Harry.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Hermione squinted at the sudden brightness. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it — the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm’s length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

“The champion for Durmstrang,” he read, in a strong, clear voice, “will be Viktor Krum.”

“No surprises there!” yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. They saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

“Bravo, Viktor!” boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. “Knew you had it in you!”

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone’s attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

“The champion for Beauxbatons,” said Dumbledore, “is Fleur Delacour!”

“It’s her, Ron!” Harry shouted as the girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

“Oh look, they’re all disappointed,” Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party.Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms.

“Pathetic,” Amity said. “They should be supporting her.”

Silence fell again once Fleur Delacour had vanished into the chamber.The fire burned red once again, and a third name flew out of it on much lighter paper,

“The champion for Hexside,” said Dumbledore, “is Willow Park!”

Luz immediately cheered as loud as she could, causing Willow to blush slightly as she stood up and made her way to the door.Gus was waving flags and the rest of the group were clapping and cheering lightly.Well, the three eyed girl was glaring at Willow as she walked away, but her friends were clapping politely.

“Unexpected,” Amity said.

“She’s going to do _great_!” Luz gushed.

When Willow too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next…

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the fourth piece of parchment.

“The Hogwarts champion,” he called, “is Cedric Diggory!”

The uproar from the next table was so great that nothing else could be heard. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers’ table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

“Excellent!” Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. “Well, we now have our four champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons, Hexside, and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real —”

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment. Hermione had a bad feeling about this.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out —

“Harry Potter.”


	4. Must be 17+ to join - Eda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha shocked some ppl with my champion choice!!! heres my reasoning: everyone would expect Luz, like duh, shes the MC, but like she has enough adventures. Sure, she’s powerful, but she still only knows like 4 spells. Amity was choice 2 but like not the most interesting to watch cuz her main thing is Abominations even tho shes top student. and let’s be real, she doesnt want all that pressure. Willow just screams someone that needs her time to really shine. she’s so overpowered when it comes to plant magic. i love it so much. her track is like the easiest to adapt to each of the challenges anyway. Gus is gonna cheer, like always. And no one wants Boscha to be champion.

Eda tried to resist laughing at the gobsmacked expressions on everyone’s faces. Everyone should know that the more powerful a magical artifact, the more likely something weird is going to happen in relation to it. Case in point: Hooty.

The kid sat there, well aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at him. He looked stunned. There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at him as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Eda felt a rare rush of affection towards the boy.In her wanderings throughout the day, she found out that most of the weird magic shit seemed to happen to him.

McGonagall got to her feet and swept past Bagman and Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

Harry turned his friends; and beyond them, the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed. Hexside and the visiting schools looked confused.

“I didn’t put my name in,” Harry said blankly. Eda’s owl hearing picking up the low words. “You know I didn’t.”She also knew he didn’t.She had Owlbert watching the cup all night.Only shy students and teachers had walked by.At one point there was a large crowd that Moody had broken up and Owlbert had lost sight of the cup for a few moments.That was the only time he could’ve done anything.She’d have to check his alibi, but he didn’t look like he was lying.

At the top table, Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to McGonagall.

“Harry Potter!” he called again. “Harry! Up here, if you please!”

“Go on,” his friend whispered, giving Harry a slight push. Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After a moment, he stood in front of Dumbledore. “Well . . . through the door, Harry,” said Dumbledore. He wasn’t smiling.Fuck, no one was smiling. On the other hand, Eda was so excited that little Willow was going to show all those mini-bitches of her classmates what for and tried to resist grinning at the thought.

Harry moved off along the teachers’ table and went through the door out of the Great Hall.

Dumbledore dismissed the waiting students and gestured for the heads of schools, Bagman, Crouch, Snape, McGonagall, and Eda to follow him.Well, he didn’t look at Eda, but she was going anyway.As Dumbledore quickly chatted with the teachers, she followed Bagman into the small room.

Bagman entered the room first. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward. Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Willow were grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched-up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other three. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire. Fleur Delacour was still looking at Harry.Willow just looked nervous, the poor girl.

“Extraordinary!” he muttered, squeezing Harry’s arm. “Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen . . . ladies,” he added, approaching the fire- side and addressing the other four. “May I introduce — incredible though it may seem — the fifth Tri-wizard champion?”

Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, “Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman.”Willow is the only one that looked concerned for Harry, even though she only met him last night.Good girl. Eda moved to be next to her.

“Joke?” Bagman repeated, bewildered. “No, no, not at all! Harry’s name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!”

Krum’s thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned.

“But evidently zair ’as been a mistake,” she said contemptuously to Bagman. “ ’E cannot compete. ’E is too young. ‘E already ‘ave one child.”

Willow frowned, the plant by the window growing just a touch bigger.

“Well . . . it is amazing,” said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. “But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name’s come out of the goblet . . . I mean, I don’t think there can be any ducking out at this stage. . . . It’s down in the rules, you’re obliged . . . Harry will just have to do the best he —”

The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Dumbledore, followed closely by Crouch, Karkaroff, Maxime, McGonagall, and Snape. Bump came after, not really concerned about one more student in the competition. Eda heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before McGonagall closed the door.

“Madame Maxime!” said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. “Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!”

Harry scowled.

Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled.

“What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?” she said imperiously. Hah! Dumbly-dorr!

“I’d rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore,” said Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. “Two Hogwarts champions? I don’t remember any- one telling me the host school is allowed two champions — or have I not read the rules carefully enough?”

He gave a short and nasty laugh.

“C’est impossible,” said Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur’s shoulder. “ ’Ogwarts cannot ’ave two champions. It is most injust.”

“We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore,” said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. “Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools.It’s bad enough that the Hexside students are younger.” Bump scowled.

“It’s no one’s fault but Potter’s, Karkaroff,” said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. “Don’t go blaming Dumbledore for Potter’s determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here —”

“Thank you, Severus,” said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair. Ugh, she _hated_ teachers like that.

Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him.

“Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?” he asked calmly.

“No,” said Harry. Everybody was watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

“Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?” said Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.

“No,” said Harry vehemently.

“Ah, but of course ’e is lying!” cried Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.

“He could not have crossed the Age Line,” said Professor McGonagall sharply. “I am sure we are all agreed on that —”

“Dumbly-dorr must ’ave made a mistake wiz ze line,” said Maxime, shrugging, “All zous little children submitted zeir names.” Referring to Hexside.

“My students put their names in before the line was drawn, as was the agreement, and we watched to make sure no other underage students submitted their names.”

“It is possible, of course,” said Dumbledore politely.

“Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!” said McGonagall angrily. “Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I’m sure that should be good enough for everybody else!”

She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape. Eda liked her.

“Mr. Crouch . . . Mr. Bagman,” said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, “you are our — er — objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?”

Bagman wiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. “We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.”

“Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front,” said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

“I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students,” said Karkaroff. Eda rolled her eyes.She glanced at Bump and saw him sighing. Karakaroffhad dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. “You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It’s only fair, Dumbledore.”

Eda tuned out for a moment, not caring about their dumb complaints.

“—all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?” Moody said, entering the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.

“Convenient?” said Karkaroff. “I’m afraid I don’t understand you, Moody.”

“Don’t you?” said Moody quietly. “It’s very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter’s name in that goblet knowing he’d have to compete if it came out.”

“Evidently, someone ’oo wished to give ’Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!” said Maxime.

“I quite agree, Madame Maxime,” said Karkaroff, bowing to her. “I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards —”

“If anyone’s got reason to complain, it’s Potter,” growled Moody, “but…funny thing…I don’t hear him saying a word…” It’s not like they were giving him room to speak.

“Why should ’e complain?” burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot, like a toddler. “’E ’as ze chance to compete, ’asn’t ’e? We ’ave all been ’oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money — zis is a chance many would die for!”

“Maybe someone’s hoping Potter is going to die for it,” said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl. Well, then.

An extremely tense silence followed these words. Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, “Moody, old man . . . what a thing to say!”

“We all know Professor Moody—”

Eda tuned out the argument and turned to Willow, sending her a toothy grin of encouragement.The girl stood slightly straighter, and the plant in the corner went back to its normal size.

“Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!” said Moody, snagging her attention again. “It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three—four this year—schools compete in the tournament… I’m guessing they submitted Potter’s name under a fifth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category…”

“You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody,” said Karkaroff coldly, “and a very ingenious theory it is — though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents —”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Eda whispered to Willow. “You think they ever shut up?” Willow laughed.

“Alastor!” said Dumbledore warningly. Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction — Karkaroff’s face was burning.

“How this situation arose, we do not know,” said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. “It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do. . . .”

“Ah, but Dumbly-dorr—”

“My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it.”

Dumbledore waited, but Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn’t the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

“Well, shall we crack on, then?” he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. “Got to give our champions their instructions, haven’t we? Barty, want to do the honors?”

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

“Yes,” he said, “instructions. Yes…the first task…” Finally.

He moved forward into the firelight. “The first task is designed to test your daring,” he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, Viktor, and Willow, “so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard…very important…

“The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.

“The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament.” _Lame_ , Eda thought. Good thing she’s not technically a teacher. “The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests.”That didn’t make sense.Didn’t the rest of the students have their big tests for like careers at the end of the year?Dumb.

Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

“I think that’s all, is it, Albus?”

“I think so,” said Dumbledore, who was looking at Crouch with mild concern. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?”

“No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry,” said Crouch. “It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment… I’ve left young Weatherby in charge. . . . Very enthusiastic . . . a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told.”

“You’ll come and have a drink before you go, at least?” said Dumbledore.

“Come on, Barty, I’m staying!” said Bagman brightly. “It’s all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!”

“I think not, Ludo,” said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience.

“Professor Karkaroff — Madame Maxime — Principal Bump — a nightcap?” said Dumbledore.

But Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur’s shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. They were both talking very fast in a language Eda didn’t know as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

“Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed,” said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. “I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise.”

Harry glanced at Cedric, who nodded, and they left together.

“I’ll take you up on a drink, Dumbledore,” Bump said. He looked down at Willow. “I’m proud of you and I know you’ll make Hexside proud.” He paused as Willow smiled. “You’re exempt from end of year tests, but not your end of year project.”

“I know, sir. I’ll work hard.”

Bump smiled. “I know.Eda could you walk her back to the dorm.”

Eda smirked and nudged Willow to get walking. “Sure thing.Come on, Wonder Witch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter might be a bit since it's not written, but i have some future chapters written. which doesnt help me now at all lmao


	5. Double Trouble - Weasley Twins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well 2020 was a shitshow. here's to 2021!!! may it be better. have a new chap in honor of the new year.

“You know,” Emira said, leaning against the wall next to where the Weasley twins were plotting in a corner. “We watched you try and get past the Age Line the other day.

Edric leaned on the wall across from Emira. “Solid plan, bad execution.An aging potion is temporary.”

“Or at least the version you used.”

“It also only ages your body, not your magic.”

“That’s what the Age Line was testing: is your magic mature?”

“And there’s no way to age that up.That just comes with time.”

“You would’ve had better luck to try and throw a crumpled up ball into the cup.”

Fred and George had turned to the other twins when they started talking.

“Forge, did they just insult us?” Fred said.

“I’m not sure, Gred,” George replied.

Fred and George couldn’t figure out the visiting twins.They were older than the other Hexside students, but didn’t put their name in.They were in some of the most advanced classes, but so were some of the younger Hexside kids.The big difference is that the two of them were acting as apprentices to Professor Flitwick at times.Why did the school only bring two kids that were of age?Why did it seem like the Hexside student’s knowledge level varied from person to person?Their school didn’t seem to make sense.

“We have a question for you,” Edric said.

“Did that Harry kid put his name in?” Emira asked.

Fred and George immediately started scowling.

George spoke first, “Harry’s a good kid—”

“—just gets involved in trouble a lot.”

“Not his fault.He just gets caught up in it.”

“Defiantly what happened this time.He looked terrified when his name came out.”

“We’ve been trying to help,” Fred explained, “in our own way, but our brother is a prat.”

“Most of the school are prats,” George countered. “Why are you asking?”

Emira sighed. “Our sister is angry on Willow’s behalf since Willow isn’t angry, just accepting of the situation with Potter.”

“Why didn’t you ask him yourself?” George asked.

“Well,” Edric said, “we don’t know him.It’d be rude to go up to someone and immediately accuse them of any wrong doing.”

“Not a kid, anyway.He’s younger than Mittens and doesn’t seem to have anyone in his corner.”

Fred and George shared a look.The other twins weren’t wrong.The thoughts of the students regarding Harry were fickle and ever-changing.They tried to protect their honorary little brother, but being in a different year and not living in the same house outside of school made it difficult.

Fred was hesitant to answer, but did anyway. “He…doesn’t really.His family is not good—”

“—And the students change their minds about him what seems like every week. We try—”

“—But we can’t always protect him.We believe him, though.—”

“—Harry says he didn’t put his name in,—”

They both spoke, “—he didn’t put his name in.”

Edric stared at them for a moment before pulling off the wall. “Alright. I believe you.We’ll get the Hexside kids to chill.”

“Or at least our sister,” Emira said. “There’s not much we can do about the other kids, but most could care less, but we’ll pass on Potter’s innocence, anyway.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” George said.

“We owe you,” Fred promised.

“But nothing life threatening,” George amended.

Emira and Edric smirked. “Of course not,” Emira said. “See you later, twin buds!"

—

The next time the two sets of twins interacted for more than a few minutes it was yet another time when the Blight twins interrupted the Weasley’s planning a prank.They agreed to not tell any teachers (not that they would anyway) if they could help.This school was too tame.

“Well,” Fred said, “If you’re going to help us—”

“You have to answer a question for us,” George finished.

“What?” Edric asked.

“What’s with the ears?” Fred and George asked together.

The blight twins looked confused. “What do you mean?” Emira asked.

“They’re pointy!” George exclaimed.“You all have pointy ears.”

“Luz doesn’t,” Edric said, “but she’s human like you guys.”

No one said anything in response to that.George threw up his hands in anger. “That only leaves us with _more_ questions!”

Edric shrugged. “Don’t know what to tell you.” Fred groaned.

“Fine, you can help anyway.We’re trying to prank as many people as possible at breakfast in a few days.Here’s the plan…”

—

Morning came bright and early for all of Hogwarts.It was a beautiful day.The kind of day Quidditch players _dreamed_ of.That’s not the important part, though.The important part about this crisp day in early November is that it was time for breakfast, and breakfast was pastries.

Those were rare days when the house elves outdid themselves with making all kinds of delicious doughnuts and pastries from around the world.Sure, they still had some healthy options, but the majority was pastry.

Every Hogwarts student looked forward to this day.There was a black market just to find out the dates of pastry day.Fred and George were usually the ones that found the day and traded that knowledge for both gold, supplies, and the occasional alibi.

Even some of the Beauxbatons students, who had had fresh French patisserie many times in their lives, praised the house elves on their skill.

This was the kind of day where only the die-hard sleeper-ins would miss, and even then, most would either bribe a friend to save them a favorite pastry, or drag themselves out of their warm bed early to get the ones they liked.

Teachers tended to love pastry days, too, because students were less likely to be late to their first class since they had been at breakfast.The pastries helped, too.

Fred and George being friends with the house elves gives them a creative advantage when planning pranks.Now, usually, they don’t have the man-power for school wide pranks, but with the help from Emira and Edric, they were able to pull it off.

The food at Hogwarts is tamper-proof.Once it goes from the kitchen to the table, no one can add anything to the food in the serving dishes.Once it’s on a plate, only non-harmful spices can be added.The house elves took the safety of the students very seriously, and didn’t want a repeat of 1875 when an entire group of Hufflepuffs were poisoned. (They all lived, but it was scary.)

However, as mentioned, Fred and George are friends, and the house elves love a good practical joke as much as the next person, so a deal was struck.

Fred and George could add the potion to the various pastries, if the house elves could get a couple new Muggle recipe books.They wanted to try some new things from other cultures, but most the recipe books in wizard shops were very British and European.

So, it’s morning.Most of Hogwarts, teachers and visiting students included, are eating a yummy breakfast of their favorite pastry. Only a handful of students are not partaking in sweets, including two diabetics and one person with celiac disease. (There are a couple of diabetics who have planned ahead for this spike (either knowing their limit or taking insulin to counteract the carbs just because they enjoy the pastries so much).

Classes start at nine am, and it was currently 8:30, peak time when most, if not all, students would still be in the Great Hall eating breakfast and not running to pick up last minute books.

The trick to a good prank was to make people think it was caused by something else.So, let’s take the pastry, for example.The two sets of twins had spent the last couple days frantically brewing enough potion to go into the dough, while at the same time, rigging an illusion into the ceiling, that when set off by one of the Blight twins, would make it look like it was snowing indoors.

They worked with the ceiling, tweaking it’s illusion to have soft drifts of snow coming down that steadily got fatter and puffier throughout breakfast.If anyone had bothered to look outside, they would’ve noticed that it was a sunny day with no hint of snow.

At 8:30, Emira triggered the second part of the illusion where the snow actually started to drift to the tables and land on people.They looked up in confusion.Dumbledore chuckled at the falling snow that was starting to pile up on the tables and floor, but did nothing to stop it while McGonagall and Flitwick scowled at him and tried to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, the impact of the snow hitting the faces of the people in the Great Hall caused the first illusion cast by Edric to vanish.

All around the room, depending on the first pastry people had eaten, they were getting the ears, nose, whiskers, and eyes of various animals. (There was a reason why the Weasley twins wanted to know about the ears.Sure, general curiosity, but also they didn’t want to accidentally harm anyone.)

Most of the doughnuts made people had features of a rabbit.The jelly filled ones were raccoons.The plain croissants were cats, while the chocolate filled ones were dogs. Cream horns were, interestingly enough, walruses. There were hamsters and mice and rats and one notable zebra.

A first year Ravenclaw giggled at her friend’s face, whiskers twitching in adorable anger.Her friend sniffed, trying to keep a straight face, but broke down into laughter.That broke the tension throughout the hall and people laughed at the various forms people had taken.

Those exempt from the prank were those who had not had any of the pastries, so not even most of the teachers were safe.

Karokaff, Maxime, and Snape were scowling and trying to magic away the whiskers.Snape had an adorable set of black cat ears upon his head.McGonagall in a fit of irony, had dog ears, but she was taking the prank with a much better attitude.

The snow faded away once the first illusion started to fade.

Dumbledore stood up and the hall quieted.He had raccoon ears and new whiskers sprouting over his beard.

“Bravo to whomever did such a lovely prank.” This did not endear him to the more die-hard Slytherins. “Despite most of our new facial additions, classes will not be canceled, and I do hope that this is only temporary.” He glanced at the Weasley twins, who were both sporting hamster whiskers, then sat down and took a bite of another pastry.

By lunch time, most people’s added animal traits had worn off, only a few remained. Everyone was clear by the end of afternoon classes, and while everyone enjoyed their dinner that day, there was defiantly a wariness to eating that evening.

—

“We did good work today,” Fred said to the Blight twins after dinner.

“It was fun,” Edric said.

“Let us know when you’re going to do more,” Emira confirmed their continued involvement.

“Will do,” Fred and George said together, and they parted ways.

All in all it was a good prank.


	6. We Don't Need No Stinkin' Wands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a chapter told in bits

Hexside had the Hogwarts students and teachers so confused. When Hexside had come, Hogwarts was under the impression that all the students were fourth years, but once classes started, only a handful of Hexside students were actually in the fourth year classes.Each student seemed to have their own custom made schedule that included classes from fourth year all the way to seventh year.Somehow everyone managed to get into all the classes they wanted at the level they needed. Almost like it was magic.

Almost all the Hexside kids were in upper level Ancient Runes.They could read the runes like it was their first language (Luz was the exception, but she was working as hard as she could to catch up). This frustrated our resident smarty-pants Hermione Granger to no end.How were all of these students so knowledgable in some things but not in others?They had explained the structure of their school briefly, but Hermione was still confused. Why were they in tracks? Did they test for those or just choose based on what they liked? Could they change later?

The teachers, while not liking that they had a variety of Hexside students in all their upper year classes, had to admit that they all had different skill levels.The students would’ve been at a disadvantage if they had been all put in the fourth year classes.Boscha was amazing at Potions, almost as smart as Professor Snape, except for the fact that she doesn’t know how all the ingredients in this realm worked together yet.Willow could make any plant grow and became one of Professor Sprout’s favorite students.Professor Babbling was just excited to have so many students in her class that knew what they were talking about.She almost cried when she found out that the entire Hexside class passed her tests.

Most of the Hexside students were in fourth year Defense since they didn’t have a track for that.A couple people had scored higher on the test and were in the fifth year class, but this was the one class that differed greatly between the realms.Some monsters were the same, but what this Human realm considered “Dark Arts” some of the Hexside students considered pets or neighbors or lawn care.It was not anyone’s favorite class.According to Professor Moody, some of their classmates would be considered “dark”, even King, their unofficial mascot of the trip would be “dark”.Principal Bump excused a handful of students from the class much to the annoyance of Moody.

None of the Hexside students were in History.Why would they be?This wasn’t their world.(It’s not like Binns would notice either way, anyway). They don’t need to know about Goblin Wars in another world.Principal Bump had collected some worksheets and readings from his history teacher and vowed to have a class at some point for his students. (He would keep putting it off until mid-December when that one student who always asked about the homework would remind him.He gave them detention where the kid was forced to make copies of all the paperwork so there would be enough for everyone.It was pretty tame compared to normal detention, so the kid was grateful.)

Some of the other teachers, though, hit a snag with teaching.They could see the students figuring out a way for their magic to do the spells, which was great, but how were the teachers to help them if they didn’t know exactly how they were doing the magic?It was brought up at a staff meeting and the classes with the most wand usage would bring it up with the Hexside students who were really struggling.They didn’t know if they could use wands, but it was worth a try.No one really wanted to go talk with Principal Bump, and no one was really sure where Eda went during the day.Also, last time someone tried to talk to her about one of the students, Eda laughed and said she was just there for moral support.She wasn’t paid to discipline those brats.She had then wandered off to go bug Principal Bump about getting paid for being here.He did not agree.

As for how the new students were doing? Well, pretty good.The main challenge all Hexside students had was adapting the human magic into a circle.What was the basis of the spell and how do they adapt it to do what they want with their own magic?Magic has been, and will always be, powered by intent.

Depending on their tracks, some students found this easier than others.Gus was a wiz at Charms, but the more physical aspect of Transfiguration baffled him at times.Amity, on the other hand, had Transfiguration mostly down since she was used to manipulating Abominations, but the more finicky things like Charms and Creatures class stumped her. Willow excelled in Herbology, and that, like our friend Neville, unfortunately did not translate well to Potions.The plus side is that she, Gus, and Luz were all in fourth year Potions suffering together.Amity was in seventh year classes for that.She had found some cool new ways to power her Abomination.Her end of year project was going to rock!

Luz still took every class that was offered, even Muggle Studies, where she had been placed in the sixth and seventh year class along with Gus.

The real struggle came when she tried to cast spells. Her glyphs were great—for demon realm magic—but the magic in this world was different.They said spells and waved wands.It was like everyone had their own staff and Palisman, except without the Pal.

The teachers watched the Hexside students struggle without wands and pulled them aside after class.Not everyone got this talk, but the lone human of the group had been told it would help.Luz told Professor McGonagall that she would bring it up with her classmates and Principal, which seemed to appease her.Professor McGonagall didn’t like to see her students struggling and also offered to take anyone interested to get wands.Luz said she’d ask.

—

“We need wands?” Amity asked.

“That’s what Professor McGonagall said,” Luz said after class. “I tried to capture the glyph that she used during class, but the wand seemed to block it.After Willow managed the spell, I was able to draw a passable glyph based on her work, but the Professor said almost all their magic is done with wands.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Amity said. “They don’t look like training wands.”

“This is a kind of human magic,” Gus said. “We just need to figure out how to do it our way.”

“I was chatting with Neville while at the Greenhouse after classes the other day.Wands are a normal thing.Apparently, they can’t do magic without them,” Willow said.

“I can do magic without them,” Luz said.

“Are we sure this is your world, though?” Amity asked. “Weren’t you going to ask Eda about that?You’re still having trouble with your phone, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am.It would make sense if I had to go through two worlds to get back to mine for phone signal. And I’ve never heard of magic in my world.”

“Fascinating. An entire alternate human world,” Gus said.

“Do you think I could get a wand?” Luz asked. “I’m human like them.”

Amity shrugged. “It’s worth a try.”

—

Amity was one of the first in the classroom for seventh year Potions.Another Abomination track kid sat two rows in front of her chatting with a Ravenclaw.Boscha sauntered in, took a look around the room, and sighed heavily before walking up to Amity’s table and putting her books down.

“You’re the least offensive, even if you do hang out with losers all the time,” she sneered.

“Thanks, Boscha.Always great to chat with you,” Amity said, rolling her eyes.

“Wands away,” Snape said, gliding into the room. “Books open to page 132.We’re working with poisons today, so if there’s any goofing off, it’ll be detention until you graduate.Understood?” Everyone nodded.

“We’ve been working on antidotes.Who can tell me how you find an antidote when you have more than one poison blended together?”

—

“Uuuuuugh,” Luz groaned flopping back onto the couch she was doing homework on.

“What?” Amity absently asked, drawing a picture of a Manticore for Creatures class.

“I thought math was hard before, but this is impossible.”

“I told you not to take every class.”

Luz groaned again.

—

“Thanks for coming with me,” Neville said as he and Willow walked into Greenhouse Five. “We aren’t supposed to come into this one alone, and I don’t know any of the seventh years well enough to ask them to come with.”

“It’s no trouble.These plants are fascinating.Professor Sprout said I could take some cuttings back to Hexside.”

“Wicked.What are you going to take?”

“I haven’t decided yet.Probably some Devil’s Snare and maybe a Mandrake or two.They would be good home defense.

“Devil’s Snare hates sunlight.”

“I know, but we have a lot of large trees in front of our house, so hopefully it’ll like to climb around the base.I know some shade charms, as well.”

—

“Harry,” Amity said outside of Charms, “I talked with my siblings and they said they believe your twins when they said that you didn’t put your name in, and I believe them.So, what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry about how I acted last week. I was angry and thought you were trying to steal Willow’s thunder.”

Harry shifted nervously, Hermione at his side.Ron was still acting bitter and with their other dorm-mates. “It’s…erm…okay.I get it.”

Amity nodded. “I’m still sorry.If you want help with the tasks, you can join our group.” Harry nodded slightly and she turned back to her friends while they waited for class to start.Fourth year charms had Willow, Luz, and Amity all together.This was not a class they were particularly good at, all of them better at working with physical objects.

This was also the class that Emira and Edric Blight TA’d for, much to the annoyance of Amity.

“So, did you apologize to him?” Emira asked her during practice time.

“Yes.”

“Were you nice about it?”

“ _Yes._ ”

Emira stared at her for another moment. “Pull back sharply from the completed circle.You want the pillow to come towards you.” She walked away after.

“ _Pull back sharply_ ,” Amity mocked quietly. Luz laughed next to her and drew another glyph on a paper. Amity tried again and the pillow flew half the distance towards her. She sighed an tried again.

Luz activated her glyph and her pillow flipped over one end and flopped down—inert.

“At least it moved.” Amity and Willow laughed.

—

Gus gasped, looking up from his Muggle Studies book where he was reading ahead at lunch. “Luz, did you know humans have been to the _moon_?”

Luz nodded, mouth full of food. “Yeah.”

“What?” Ron asked. “That can’t be true.”

“Wait, what?Ron you don’t know about the moon landing?”

“Muggles haven’t been to the moon.The book must be lying.”

Hermione looked scandalized, while Harry and Luz just looked concerned.

“How…” Hermione found her voice again. “How can you not know that we’ve been to the moon?”

“It’s impossible.If wizards haven’t gotten to the moon, how could Muggles have?”

“Giant rockets,” Harry said.

“What’s a rocket?” Ron asked.

“A rocket is a type of…ship that is propelled through the atmosphere using a controlled explosion.Kind of like fireworks, but bigger.”

“And they sent a person to the moon?”

“Multiple people,” Luz confirmed. “They’ve come back.I don’t think anyone’s actually died on the moon.There have been a couple accidents on the launch pad, though.”

Ron scoffed. “Next you’re going to tell me that everything is made up of tinier bits of stuff.”

Harry laughed and Hermione scowled, crossing her arms. “It is. Those tiny things are called atoms.”

Ron just gaped, not seeming to have an answer to that.

“I think our moon is sentient,” Amity mused. “Someone tried to visit it once, but they were eaten by something.Probably the moon.”

“That sounds about right for the Boiling Isles,” Luz said.

“Humans are so cool.I want to go to the moon.What does it look like?The book doesn’t have any pictures.”

Luz pulled out her phone, fiddling with the glyphs and opened the internet.She googled moon landing pictures and held her phone out to Gus, and by extension, Ron.

“Cool!”

Ron still looked disbelieving so she pulled up the video of the moon landing. He grumbled, but she couldn’t tell if he accepted it or not.

“Hey, Ron,” Harry said, smirking, “Did you know that Muggles have satellites orbiting the Earth that can track the location of anything on the surface?”

Ron threw a bun at Harry, “Piss off.” Harry laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a literal list of which grade level each hexside kid is in. well, the main 4 plus boscha lol


	7. Not Exactly Comic Relief - Willow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone asked about the schedule i made: [Click me!!!](https://imgur.com/a/ZvoQw8Q) here it is :) the number is whatever year they're in.

“Oh my Grom, you will not _believe_ what I just found in the forest,” a Beast track kid said, coming up to their group in the library during their break after dinner.They had short, bright blue hair and pointy teeth that didn’t fully fit in their mouth, but they were grinning, so you couldn’t tell.

“What?” Gus asked.

“Dragons!” they squealed quietly. “Five of them!They were so beautiful! We haven’t seen dragons as big as these in the Boiling Isles in thousands of years.”

“Are those the first task?” Luz asked.

Beast track shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t care. I’m going to sneak over and ask if I can keep one.Maybe they’ll give me an egg.Oh Professor Manilegs would _love_ to have a dragon in class.” And with that, they ran off.

“Well, dragons,” Willow said. “What do we know about dragons?”

“Big, scary, breath fire,” Luz ticked off, “Comic relief that dispenses wisdom.”

“That last one sounds like it’s not accurate,” Amity said.

“Have you ever _met_ a dragon?” Luz accused. Amity shook her head. “Then you don’t know if they do or don’t.”

Willow stood up. “I’m going to find a book on dragons.Gus, can you find that student and get them to describe them.We can narrow down the kind, then.”

Gus stood and saluted. “On it!” He ran out of the library after the student.

“Luz, can you help me find some books?Amity, maybe think of some spells that might go against a dragon.”

Amity looked thoughtful. “I need to know more about them.What’s their skin like?How _hot_ is the fire?Are you actually fighting it?I’ll start making a list as you get books.”

“Right.Let’s go, Luz.”

Luz smiled and followed. “I love magic school!”

—

The group of four sat in their common room the next day at one of the tables, books spread across the table, open to sections on dragons and spells. Gus started to explain his adventure to the dragons. “Ok, Avalon and I—”

“Avalon?” Luz asked.

“Beast track kid,” Gus replied. “We snuck back to the dragons and overheard them say these names.” Gus pulled out a piece of paper. “Hungarian Horntail, Swedish Short-Snout, Chinese Fireball, Hebridean Black, and Common Welsh Green.”

“So one dragon each?” Amity asked.

“Wouldn’t it just be easier to have one dragon?” Luz inquired.

Willow replied, “Then whomever goes first is at the biggest disadvantage and whomever goes last has the easiest time, unless they let the dragon rest, but that seems unlikely.Plus, I still don’t know what I’m going to have to do.”

“Did you see anything else?” Luz asked.

Gus shrugged. “Just some eggs.They were being real careful with them.”

Amity froze. “Wait, like _real_ dragon eggs.Are these _nesting mothers_?”

“Is that a problem?” Luz asked.

Amity flipped through a book and pointed at a passage. “Nesting mothers are _extremely_ vicious to anything they perceive to be messing with their eggs.”

“So anger plus,” Luz agreed.

Willow looked thoughtful. “So if they’re using nesting mothers, it would make sense that they’re protecting something, right?Maybe I have to get something.”

“While not angering a mom who thinks you’re after her kids,” Gus added.

“And while not catching on fire,” stated Amity.

“ _And_ not smashing any unborn babies,” Luz continued.

“Seems simple enough,” Willow agreed.

They were silent for a moment.Luz slammed a hand down on the table, and they all jumped. “Right!What spells do we need?”

“Fire proof, protective for both Willow and possibly the eggs, retrieval?”

Gus shook his heard. “They may protect against a retrieval spell.What’s the point of getting past the dragon if the thing comes to you?”

“How do I distract the dragon?Even if I’m fire proof, it’s not going to just let me walk right up.”

“Anytime I need to distract King or Hooty I usually give them something shiny.” Luz looked thoughtful. “It works on Eda, too.” She trailed off.

“Okay,” Amity said. “Besides the worrying fact that one of our chaperones is distracted by shiny _toys_ , that might work.”

“Dragons are not giant cat-demons.” Willow paused. “Are they?”

Amity shrugged. “It’s a start of a plan anyway.”

Luz flipped through a book on magical plants. “Is there like a plant you can grow to put it to sleep or make it high or something?”

“That’s just what we need: a high dragon,” Amity teased, nudging Luz.Luz gently pushed Amity back.

“Any sort of sleeping plant might be too dangerous, especially because the size I’d have to make it, would put the people in danger, otherwise, plants are a good idea.”

“You could wrap them around it’s legs and neck and wings so it can’t attack you!” Gus explained excitedly.

Willow looked nervous. “I don’t think I’m _that_ powerful.”

“Of course you are!” Luz exclaimed.

Amity put a calming hand on her arm. “Maybe start with a plant that can distract it.Dragons don’t have many weaknesses.Their skin is super strong and they’re smart.We don’t want to harm it, but we want it away from whatever it’s guarding.”

“Which will probably be in or near the eggs,” added Gus.

Willow thunked her head onto the table. “Great.”

They spent the afternoon looking into various plants and spells that could help.After lunch, Eda handed Luz an old book she had found in a room filled with junk.Well, the room _was_ filled with junk, but Eda liberated a lot of the things back into the Boiling Isles to sort through later.

“Wait, I found something,” Luz said. “This plant is fireproof.”

“What?” Willow asked. “I’ve seen fire- _resistant_ plants, but not fireproof.I know there’s an upperclassman working on that back at Hexside, though.”

Luz summarized her book. “It’s called a Regisvine and there’s pyro and cyro varieties that they’ve found, but it’s expected that electro ones exist as well.What makes it fireproof is that it’s kind of made of fire.”

“So, I attack with it?”

“No, no. You wrap yourself in something fireproof like water or I don’t know, something, then wrap yourself with the plant and just walk right past the fire breathing dragon and get whatever you need to get then walk away.”

Willow looked dubious. “Not a bad plan.” Luz beamed. “Sorry, but not a good one either.Why not just attack with the plant?”

Luz sighed. “I guess.”

“It’s not so much made of fire,” Amity said, reading on, “but looks to be immune to any type of fire damage. So it shoots fire out of the like flower part.” Amity made shooty motions with one hands.

“Are dragons warm or cold blooded?” Luz asked, absently.

“What does that mean?” Gus asked after a moment of silence.

Luz looked up from her book to the looks of confusion. “What? You don’t know what that is?None of you?” They shook their heads.

“Is that a thing humans can do? Make their blood warm or cold?”

“No, no. Like um, humans are warm blooded because we can regulate our body temperature. If we’re cold, we make ourselves warm.If we’re warm, we cool ourselves off.Make sense?” They nodded. “Cold blooded is like reptiles. Their body temperature changes based on the outside temperature.So if it’s sunny, they’re warm, but if it’s snowy, they’re cold.”

“That doesn’t seem like it’d be very helpful.”

Luz shrugged. “Reptiles usually live in warmer climates.”

Willow realized where Luz was going with her original question. “You’re wondering about dragon’s blood because if it’s cold blooded—”

“—You use the Cyro Regisvine and freeze it!” Luz took over.

Gus looked through a book called Xanathar’s Guide to Everything that had a very comprehensive guide on dragons. “It says they maintain a constant internal temperature using the elemental energy flowing through the bloodstream regardless of external environment.”

The girls deflated. “There goes that plan,” Luz said.

“Maybe I can still use part of it.Let’s look up more about these Regisvines.”

—

Turns out Regisvines are only found on this one hidden continent and it’s nearly impossible to get one imported.They could try, but it would probably take them years, and they didn’t have that.So, plan B, it was. (Luz had roped Eda into trying to get one anyway. Doesn’t hurt to have a backup plan.)

What was plan B? Figure out something to distract the dragon.Which was going to be hard.They were smart, and these dragons had the advantage of being overly protective of their eggs.

Willow needed to be careful.She didn’t want to harm the eggs, nor the dragon.They were a protected species and she’s pretty sure the Beast tracks kids would murder her if she harmed it or the babies.

“Harry!” Willow called while walking to practice growing things outside.

Harry turned from his journey up to the library.Hermione was nowhere to be seen. He came to a stop next to her.

“‘Lo, Willow.”

“Has anyone told you about the first task?”

“Er…we aren’t supposed to know what it is, right?”

“If they wanted it to be a secret, they should’ve warded the forest.My friends and I have overheard that the other two school champions know.I wanted to make sure that the one champion who didn’t want to be in it, knows.”

“Oh. Yeah, I know it’s dragons.”

“Nice.I’m going outside to go practice some stuff, but if you find Luz, Gus, or Amity, ask them for our notes, okay?”

“Okay.Thanks.You don’t have to do that.”

Willow smiled shyly. “Like I said, you didn’t want to be in this.You should have an advantage that we don’t, but…” She shrugged. “See you in class!” Willow walked away and Harry went to go find the other three Hexside students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys remember that thing called a timeline, right? please ignore how long the dragons would actually have been at hogwarts. im not rearranging this again. it my story. if they were probably at hogwarts for like a week before wand weighing and then the actual event, they can be. i only vaguely know what date it is in the story
> 
> bonus points to anyone who knows where i’ve pulled my fantasy details from since trash author doesnt really go into details anywhere.


	8. Pointy Sticks - Luz/Willow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those wondering about my fantasy sources from the last chap: xanathars is a dnd book. and regisvines are from Genshin Impact which i’ve been playing a LOT of when im not at work lmao

In the end, only four students ended up going to buy wands: Luz, Cat, Eileen, and Groanson, a construction track student.

Eda and Professor McGonagall collected the students and took them to Diagon Alley via Floo. They had been excused from their classes that day until lunch.

Ollivander’s was as empty as it always is, and when the owner startled them by coming out of the stacks nearly silently, all four students screamed.

Ollivander took in the students in front of him: older than a typical first year, different uniforms, and strange features.One student’s whole face was an eye.He took a breath and flicked his own wand to have the tape measure run over to the closet student—Eileen.

She blinked indifferently at the tape measure measuring her arms and bangs.

“New students?” he asked.

“Visiting,” McGonagall said. “They mainly use wandless magic at their school, but have been having some trouble with lessons. I offered to bring those that wanted it, to buy some wands.”

Ollivander took a box down and handed it to the cyclops. “Apple with Unicorn hair.” Eileen grabbed it for a moment before it was snatched out of her hand. “No.”

Five wands later and Eileen found her ten inch larch wood with phoenix feather wand.Groanson took seven tries before finding his rigid nine and half inch hornbeam wood wand with dragon heartstring, and Cat only took two wands before getting her thirteen inch willow wand with unicorn hair.

Luz watched, fascinated by the tape measure encircling her head. “This is so cool,” she whispered to Eda.Eda rolled her eyes, but was smiling at her student.

“I thought you wanted a staff?”

“I _do_ ,”she said, “but until I earn it, this will do.Besides, I still want to learn all the magic I can.I’m still going to learn the glyphs.”

Eda ruffled Luz’s hair, proud of her willingness to earn the staff and continue learning Eda’s kind of magic.

Ollivander held out a pine wood with dragon heartstring.Luz waved it, and a vase on the other side of the shop shattered.

He took the wand back and dismissed her concerns. “Happens all the time,” he said.

Luz went through another ten wands, all with dragon heartstring until he handed her a light brown wand with small red circles engraved into the wand, wrapping up to the top.She flicked the wand and purple glitter slowly drifted down around her.

He clapped his hands together. “Lovely!Twelve and a quarter inches.Holly with dragon heartstring, nice and supple.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ollivander!” Luz said, clenching her wand close.

Professor McGonagall paid for the wands with money from the school and they left the shop, heading over to a small cafe for lunch.

Eda had vanished for a few minutes while they waited for their food, returning when the food arrived.

Conversation flowed freely within the Hexside kids as they relaxed, even in the presence of a teacher.McGonagall and Eda bonded over the antics of students—McGonagall’s Gryffindors and Luz specifically.

After lunch, they headed back to school for afternoon classes, ready to try some of the spells that have been tripping them up again.As they walked in the school, they passed one of Ron’s siblings who should’ve been in class, and was caught by McGonagall.She took points, hesitating slightly at the color of tie, and gave him detention.

Eda pulled Luz aside before she could get too far and held out a slim box she pulled from her hair.

“Did you get me a gift?” Luz asked.

“Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Luz smiled and opened the gift.Inside, nestled in some tissue paper was a red leather wand holster with tiny owls engraved on it.Luz beamed wider and put it on her arm, sliding her wand into its place.

“Thank you, Eda!” She lunged at Eda, hugging her tightly.

“Ugh, the parallel arm thing,” the older witch groaned, but accepted the hug and patted Luz’s back. “Don’t you have class?” she asked after a full minute of hugging.

Luz jumped back and looked at her phone for the time. “Shoot, I’m late!Thanks again Eda!” She ran off.

—

When Willow, Gus, and Luz arrived at Potions after lunch the next day, they found the Slytherins pressing a large badge on their robes and laughing.The bright red letters that spelled out: ‘Support CEDRIC DIGGORY — The REAL Hogwarts Champion!’ changed to a glowing green: ‘POTTER STINKS’.

“Oh very funny,” Hermione said sarcastically to the gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, “really witty.”

“Want one, Granger?” said the blond Slytehrin, holding out a badge to Hermione. “I’ve got loads. But don’t touch my hand, now. I’ve just washed it, you see; don’t want a Mudblood sliming it up.”

Harry reached for his wand at those words and people all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor.Willow and her friends were the only ones who remained where they were.They weren’t scared.

“Harry!” Hermione said warningly.

“Go on, then, Potter,” Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. “Moody’s not here to look after you now — do it, if you’ve got the guts —”

For a split second, they looked into each other’s eyes, then, at exactly the same time, both acted.

“ _Furnunculus_!” Harry yelled.

“ _Densaugeo_!” screamed Malfoy.

Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles — Harry’s hit one of the big Slytherins in the face, and Malfoy’s hit Hermione. The Slytherin bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up — Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.

“Hermione!” Ron and Luz shouted.

Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione’s hand away from her face. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Hermione’s front teeth — already larger than average — were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin — panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry.

“And what is all this noise about?” said a soft, deadly voice.

Snape had arrived. The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations; Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, “Explain.”

“Potter attacked me, sir —”

“We attacked each other at the same time!” Harry shouted.

“— and he hit Goyle — look —”

Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at home in a book on poisonous fungi. “Hospital wing, Goyle,” Snape said calmly.

“Malfoy got Hermione!” Ron said. “Look!”

He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth — she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape’s back.Willow glared at the girls and they were smart enough to quiet.

Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, “I see no difference.”

Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.

Luz shouted at Snape wordlessly for a moment before turning and running after her.

Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however.Willow vowed to do something during class.There were a lot of plants in that classroom.

“Let’s see,” he said, in his silkiest voice. “Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it’ll be a week’s worth of detentions.”

Willow and Gus sat with Harry at his empty table. On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape and pressed his badge, smirking. POTTER STINKS flashed once more across the room.Gus made a circle and the badge turned into a spider, scaring the blond and scuttling away.They high-fived quietly.

“Antidotes!” said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. “You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one. . . .”

And then a knock on the dungeon door burst in on Snape’s threats.

It was a younger Gryffindor; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snape’s desk at the front of the room.

“Yes?” said Snape curtly.

“Please, sir, I’m supposed to take Harry Potter and Willow Park upstairs.”

Snape stared down his hooked nose at the boy, whose smile faded from his eager face.

“Potter and Park have another hour of Potions to complete,” said Snape coldly. “They will come upstairs when this class is finished.”

The boy went pink.

“Sir — sir, Mr. Bagman wants them,” he said nervously. “All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs…”

“Very well, very well,” Snape snapped. “Potter, Park, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote.”

“Please, sir — they’ve got to take his things with him,” squeaked Colin. “All the champions —”

“Very well !” said Snape. “Potter — take your bag and get out of my sight! Park, you as well.”

Harry swung his bag over his shoulder, got up, and headed for the door. As he walked through the Slytherin desks, POTTER STINKS flashed at him from every direction. Willow followed behind and made a small circle as she left the room.All the plants on the Slytherin’s desk started to grow and break out of their containers.They closed the door behind the shouts of surprise.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it, Harry?” said the boy, starting to speak the moment Willow had closed the dungeon door behind her. “Isn’t it, though? You being champion?”

“Yeah, really amazing,” said Harry heavily as they set off toward the steps into the entrance hall. “What do they want photos for, Colin?”

“The Daily Prophet, I think!”

“Great,” said Harry dully. “Exactly what I need. More publicity.”

“Good luck!” said Colin when they had reached the right room. The kid wandered away and Willow couldn’t help but think that this felt like anytime she went on an adventure with Luz: a sense of doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is Dominican-American, let me know, please! I need some help with a future chapter featuring Luz and some sad xmas season timez. I'm looking for any traditions she and her mom might normally do on/around xmas. Please let me know!


	9. Weight is Just a Number - Willow

“It’ll be fine. Just stay by me.They can’t interview you without your guardian.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” Harry replied.

“Gus’ dad is a reporter.I know the basic rules, even in a different world.Trust me.”

Harry nodded and knocked on the door and entered.

They was in a fairly small classroom; most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle; three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Six chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a witch wearing magenta robes.

Viktor was standing moodily in a corner as usual and not talking to anybody. Cedric and Fleur were in conversation. She kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur out of the corner of his eye. Creep.

Bagman suddenly spotted them, got up quickly, and bounded forward.

“Ah, here they are! Champions number four and five! In you come, Harry and Willow, in you come . . . nothing to worry about, it’s just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment —”

“Wand weighing?” Harry repeated nervously.

“We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they’re your most important tools in the tasks ahead,” said Bagman.Did they know that Willow didn’t have a wand?That she didn’t use one?Oh well, that’s a later-Willow problem.“The expert’s upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then there’s going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter,” he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. “She’s doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet…”

“Maybe not that small, Ludo,” said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry.

Willow thought she looked like one of those predators with the pretty looking outsides but were poison once you bit into it with her elaborate curls, jeweled glasses, and two-inch crimson nails. 

“I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?” she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. “The youngest champion, you know…to add a bit of color?”

“Certainly!” cried Bagman. “That is — if Harry has no objection?”

“Er —” said Harry.

“Actually,” Willow interrupted, grabbing Harry’s arm lightly so he didn’t move, “I may be from a different realm, but back home, if a minor is to be interviewed, they need a guardian with them to make sure nothing…untoward…happens.”

“Willow, dear—”Skeeter started.

“Come on, Harry.Let’s go see the other champions.” She pulled him over to Cedric, who helped shield Harry and hide him away from the reporter.

“Thank you,” Harry breathed, slouching against the wall.Fleur looked at him critically while Skeeter glared at Willow from across the room.Willow smiled sweetly and waved.

“She’s a viper, that one,” Cedric confirmed. “Writes the gossip column in the Prophet.”

The judges entered the room and the champions were told to sit in chairs near the door, and Harry sat down quickly next to Cedric and Willow before anymore interviews could almost happen, looking up at the velvet-covered table, where five of the six judges were now sitting — Karkaroff, Maxime, Principal Bump, Crouch, and Bagman. Skeeter settled herself down in a corner; slipped a parchment out of her bag, spread it on her knee, sucked the end of an acid green quill, and placed it on the parchment.

“May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?” said Dumbledore, taking his place at the judges’ table and talking to the champions. “He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament.”

Willow figured this was the old man that Luz described from the wand shop the other day.

“Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?” said Mr. Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room.

Fleur swept over to Mr. Ollivander and handed him her wand.

“Hmmm . . .” he said.

He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it close to his eyes and examined it carefully.

“Yes,” he said quietly, “nine and a half inches . . . inflexible . . . rosewood . . . and containing . . . dear me . . .”

“An ’air from ze ’ead of a veela,” said Fleur. “One of my grandmuzzer’s.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Ollivander, “yes, I’ve never used veela hair my- self, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands . . .however, to each his own, and if this suits you . . .”

Mr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, “ _Orchideous_!” and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip.

“Very well, very well, it’s in fine working order,” said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand. “Mr. Diggory, you next.”

Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling at Cedric as he passed her.

“Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn’t it?” said Mr. Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand. “Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn . . . must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches . . . ash . . . pleasantly springy. It’s in fine condition. . . . You treat it regularly?”

“Polished it last night,” said Cedric, grinning.What?

Willow watched from the corner of her eye as Harry tried to surreptitiously clean his wand until Fleur gave him a patronizing look and he stopped.

Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric’s wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, “Mr. Krum, if you please.”

Viktor got up and slouched toward Mr. Ollivander. He thrust out his wand and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes.

“Hmm,” said Mr. Ollivander, “this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I’m much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I . . . however . . .”

He lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes.

“Yes . . . hornbeam and dragon heartstring?” he shot at Krum, who nodded. “Rather thicker than one usually sees . . . quite rigid . . . ten and a quarter inches . . . _Avis_!”

The hornbeam wand let off a blast like a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end and through the open window into the watery sunlight.

“Good,” said Mr. Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand. “Miss. Park, if you please.

Willow stood up and walked over to Mr. Ollivander but didn’t hand him anything.She glanced at Principal Bump in question.

“Your wand, dear,” Mr. Ollivander said, hand outstretched.

She turned back to him. “I don’t have one.”

“What?” Bagman said. “Dear, why didn’t you say you needed one.I’m sure Albus could’ve arranged it.”

“He did.Some of my classmates went and got wands the other day, but it was never mentioned that a wand was mandatory.My spells are good for what I need them for.I’m not struggling in any classes that need a wand.They offered; I refused.”

“Principal Bump,” Bagman said. “How is this possible?”

“You don’t you show them, Miss. Park?”

Willow nodded and concentrated on the ivy she felt outside the window.She drew a green circle in the air and the vine snaked into the room, growing bigger than usual.

“Wow,” she heard behind her.

The judges and Mr. Ollivander talked in whispers for a few minutes before saying she was fine.She returned to her seat.

“Which leaves . . . Mr. Potter,” Mr. Ollivander said.

Harry got to his feet and walked to Mr. Ollivander. He handed over his wand.

“Aaaah, yes,” said Mr. Ollivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming. “Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember.” Mr. Ollivander spent much longer examining Harry’s wand than anyone else’s. Eventually, however, he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect condition.

“Thank you all,” said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges’ table. “You may go back to your lessons now — or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end —”

Harry and Willow got up to leave, but the man with the black camera jumped up and cleared his throat.

“Photos, Dumbledore, photos!” cried Bagman excitedly. “All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?”

“Er — yes, let’s do those first,” said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again. “And then perhaps some individual shots.”

The photographs took a long time. Maxime cast everyone else into shadow wherever she stood, and the photographer couldn’t stand far enough back to get her into the frame; eventually she had to sit while everyone else stood around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to give it an extra curl; Viktor skulked, half-hidden, at the back of the group. The photographer seemed keenest to get Fleur and Willow at the front, but Rita Skeeter kept hurrying forward and dragging Harry into greater prominence. Then she insisted on separate shots of all the champions. At last, they were free to go.

Willow and Harry met up with Gus and Amity at dinner.They informed the two that Hermione and Luz were still in the infirmary and they were going to go check in after they ate.It was a plan and dinner passed by quickly before the group of four left and made their way to see their friends.


	10. Lost and Found - Luz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> luna “loses” her things. luz helps find them

Luz hummed to herself as she walked down the hallway.Hogwarts was huge and it was always fun to wander around.She would prefer to wander with friends, but this was one of the rare class times where she didn’t have anything and they all did.

She turned the corner and collided with something tiny.The thing she ran into fell to the ground with short yell.

“Oh my gosh!I’m so sorry!” Luz quickly offered a hand to help the girl up.

“It’s okay,” she said airily as she got to her feet. The girl was slight, and probably only a year younger than Luz.She had long curly platinum blond hair and a curious look on her face.She had on super cute radish earrings and no shoes.

“Oh! I love your earrings!Where’d you get them?”

She looked startled at the compliment. “…Thanks.I made them.You’re different from the others.”

Does she mean because she’s human?

Luz grinned and held out her hand. “I’m Luz Noceda.”

The girl stared at her hand for a moment, almost trying to see if there was a trick.She hesitantly took it and they shook. “Luna Lovegood, but everyone calls me Loony.”

Luz frowned. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”

“No.” Luna didn’t say anything else, just continued staring at Luz like a very fascinating puzzle.

“What were you um doing in this part of the castle?” Luz asked, breaking the silence.She knew this wasn’t near any of the dorms since she had found those all already.

Luna blinked and looked down at her bare feet.“Looking for my shoes.They seem to have ran off again.”

“Is that a normal thing at Hogwarts?”

“Only for me, I think.The Nargles like to take them.My necklace should keep them away, but they must grab my shoes while I’m not wearing them.”

Luz frowned.She had never heard of Nargles, not that that meant they didn’t exist, but this sounded more like people stealing from her. “Have you told a teacher?Maybe they have something to stop the Nargles.”

Luna looked off down the hallway. “…I don’t think they’d like that.I might find more than my shoes and homework missing.”

This poor girl.She was bullied and _no one was doing anything_. Well, she would do something.

“Why don’t I help you look?I was just exploring anyway.My mentor taught me a spell to find lost things.”

Luna looked shocked and turned back to Luz, trying to figure her out. “I…thank you.That would be very nice.”

“It’s no problem.” Luz pulled out her notebook and drew the glyph full of arrows and question marks. Luna watched entranced at the drawing. “So, since it’s your things that are lost, you’ll need to also touch the glyph and think about what you want to find as I activate it, okay?”

Luna nodded. “Yes.” She reached out and touched the edge of the circle.Luz took a breath and concentrated on the feeling of looking for something.She tapped the center of the glyph.Luna gasped as the paper glowed and folded itself into a crane.It fluttered in front of them for a moment before flapping down the hallway in the direction Luz was originally heading.

“Let’s go,” she said and grabbed Luna’s hand before running after it.

The crane lead them up to the seventh floor and to a rarely used cupboard.It tapped on the door and Luz nudged it open.The paper crane landed on a pair of red and white high top shoes and went inert.She loved keeping all the little cranes.

Luna gasped and reached for her shoes. “Thank you.”

“It was no trouble.Plus, we found this cool room.” Luz looked around the unused dusty classroom. “Okay, it’s not that cool, but we found your shoes, which is awesome.”

Luna giggled and put her shoes on, tying the laces in a neat bow.

“Do you want to keep the crane?” Luz asked.

Her head snapped up. “What?”

Luz moved the wings of the crane gently. “The magic’s run out, but I like to keep them.”

“I…yes. I would like that. Thank you.” She reached out and gently took the crane.

In the distance they heard the bell ring signaling that classes for the day were over.

“Come on, let’s go to dinner.”

—

Luz waved goodbye to Luna when they got to the Great Hall, separating to go to their tables. Luna shyly waved back.Luz watched Luna sit in an empty seat and the kids around her moved away slightly.No one joined her in the seats that were right next to or across from her. Luz frowned at the Hogwarts students and joined her friends at the Gryffindor table.

“Oh no,” Amity said, “That’s you’re ‘I have to help somebody’ face.”

“I don’t have a face for that.”

“You do,” Willow, Gus, and Amity said at the same time.

Luz very maturely stuck out her tongue at her friends.

“So, what’s wrong?” Willow asked.

Luz sighed. “There’s this girl in Ravenclaw.Year below us, I think.”

“The one you waved to when you came in?” Amity asked.

“Yeah.I don’t think she has any friends.And I’m pretty sure she’s getting bullied.I helped find her _shoes_ today.”

“So tell a teacher,” Gus said.

“She said it would probably get worse if she did.”

“She’s not wrong,” Willow confirmed.

Luz groaned and laid her head on the table in frustration. “I just don’t know what to do!”

“We hang out with her,” Willow said. “That way she has some friends.Plus, we can help her look for her things, too.” Luz perked up.That was actually a good idea, and if they manage to catch any of the stealing meanies in the act, they would go to a teacher.

“Yes!Great idea!Thanks Willow!”

—

The next morning Luz waited in the entrance hall for Luna to show up.She was trailing softly behind a group of younger Ravenclaw girls as they came down for breakfast.The girls weren’t including Luna, but they weren’t pushing her away either.Must either be her year mates or older students bullying her.

“Luna!Morning!” Luz shouted, getting the smaller girl’s attention.She startled the young Ravenclaws, but they continued walking to breakfast after a moment.

Luna stared at Luz. “Oh.Good morning, Luz.”

“Want to have breakfast with us?”

“Us?”

“Me and Amity and Willow and Gus.They want to meet you.We weren’t sure if you’re allowed to sit at other tables, but we saved you a seat at Gryffindor.”

Luna beamed.Her smile took up her entire face.“I would love that.” Luz came to a realization that this poor girl had _no_ friends, or at least no good friends.

Luz held out her hand and Luna grabbed on for Luz to lead her to the table.

“Hi Luna.I’m Willow.”

“I know.”

“I’m Gus!Do all humans have bottle top necklaces?”

Luna sat, looking at her necklace a bit confused. “No, I don’t think so.It’s to keep the Nargles away.”

“Cool!” exclaimed Gus. “How do I get one?I don’t want any Nargles.”

“I made this one.I can show you how?” she asked hesitantly.

Gus nodded so fast it looked like he’d give himself whiplash. “Oh Titan, would you? Thanks!”

“I’m Amity.It’s good to meet you, Luna.”

Luna smiled lightly back, seeming not to know how to respond to all of them being so nice.

They chatted about classes and homework for a bit.Gus mentioned he was obsessed with humans and connected to Luna about strange creatures that no one believed in.Luz told them a story about her Griffen book report to everyone’s enjoyment.

“Good morning, Luna,” a red headed girl said, sitting down next to Luna. “What’d are you doing here?”

Luna smiled. “Hello, Ginny.Talking with my new friends.”

Ginny assessed the four Hexside students, like she was making sure they weren’t going to harm Luna.Good, the girl needed someone in her corner.

Luz spoke up from Luna’s other side. “Luna’s been telling us about the creatures she and her dad try and find.They’re so cool.I wish I had some wizard money to get the magazine.I think the Boiling Isles would love it.”

“I can mail daddy.We can work something out.”

“Gems and gold are usually universal,” Amity said.

Luz turned to Amity. “And _where_ am I going to get _gems_ and _gold_? I’m not made of money.I’m pretty sure the only reason why Eda hasn’t been kicked out of her land is because of Hooty.”

“You can trade human things for some.”

“…That’s not a bad idea.”

Luna giggled at the argument. “I’m glad you’re making friends,” Ginny whispered to Luna, not quite quiet enough for Luz to not overhear.Oh, she approved of them, good.

“Me too.”

Breakfast passed pleasantly enough after that and right before they had to head to class, Luz spoke up.

“Hey, Luna,” Luz said, “do you want to sit with us during the first task?We’re obviously cheering for Willow, but you can cheer for anyone you like.”

“We’re also supporting Harry,” Gus said.

“The cup was tricked,” Luna said.

Amity nodded. “We thought so, too.”

Willow spoke up. “Moody suggested as much to the judges on that first night.That’s why we’re trying to be as supportive as possible to Harry since he didn’t sign up for this like I did.”

Luna smiled and nodded. “I will sit with you, thanks.”

“Great!” Luz grinned. “We gotta get to class, but see you later, okay?”

“Okay.” They went their separate ways to class, Luz vowing quietly to herself to help Luna as much as she could before they left.


	11. That's Not an Egg - Luna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eggs aren’t real,” she said. “Nuh-uh! Show me an egg! That’s not an egg! What’s an egg? Who let you in here?”

Luna didn’t have many friends. Her dorm mates thought she was weird, and so did most of her year mates. The older girls stole her things and hid them around the school, which, while an inconvenience, it wasn’t to an extreme where she was going to go to Professor Flitwick.

She hid behind hidden creatures and obscure statements.If she acted aloof, then they couldn’t tell they were getting to her.

Ginny, she had known since they were babies.They weren’t the best of friends, but Ginny never tried to hurt her, and Luna was pretty sure Ginny kept the Gryffindor girls from making fun of her.Regardless, most people at her age level called her Loony.

The Hexside students confused her, though.Meeting Luz was strange.She did magic differently from both Luna, and her own classmates, but she could find Luna’s shoes much easier than any Point Me spell.And she was nice.Not for her own gain, but just to help out Luna.It was a strange feeling.

And meeting Luz’s friends, who were all nice to her and accepting of her creatures, countering back with strange ones of their own.They didn’t think she was weird.Gus wanted to make his own cork necklace.No one had ever wanted that.

Then they invited her to sit with them both at meals and at the first task.Luna was over the moon with excitement.For once, she was looking forward to a school event and mealtimes.She had people to talk to and friends to sit with.She hoped they were her friends, and not playing the long game, like one of her dorm mates in first year.That was a bad time.

The first task was in two days.She had to figure out what she was going to wear.What were the Hexside colors?Did she cheer for Willow, or Cedric, or Harry?All three?So much to figure out!

—

The day of the first task dawned. It was a sunny day, barely any clouds in the sky: perfect weather for watching a tournament.

Luna got herself ready, making sure to stay quiet since her dorm mates were still asleep.She had the three sets of colors of ribbons in her hair.She charmed her robe to change colors when she tapped the Ravenclaw emblem.She would keep it black for now and change it when the Hogwarts champions and Willow were up.

Tucking her wand behind her ear, she went up to breakfast.She settled in between a bouncing Luz and Gus.King was on Luz’s lap shoving breakfast into his mouth.The Hexside students had really decked themselves out in their school colors: face paint, flags, sweaters, the works.It looked like they were going to one of those Muggle sports games.

“Good morning, Luna!” Luz greeted. “I love your ribbons.”

Luna blushed. “Thank you.I charmed my robe to change color, too.”She tapped the emblem and cycled through the three sets of colors.

“Awesome!”

“Are you ready, Willow?”

Willow looked a bit nervous, barely eating her food. “As much as I can be, I guess.”

“You’ll do great!” Luz said. “Just remember what we talked about.”

Willow nodded and picked at her food some more.Principal Bump walked up to Willow and collected her for the first task.The group wished her luck and she was lead away.

Five minutes later, Professor McGonagall hurried over to them in the Great Hall. She stopped in front of Harry. “Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now… You have to get ready for your first task.”

“Okay,” said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter.

“Good luck, Harry,” Hermione whispered. “You’ll be fine!”

“Yeah,” said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own.

“Good luck, Harry,” Luz said, and it was echoed by Gus and Amity.Luna didn’t know him that well and stayed silent, watching his face get more nervous and he left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall.

A few minutes later, all the students in the Great Hall made their way out to the stands.People tended to stick to their own group, but the noise level rose regardless.It was so exciting.

In the stands, people from all houses were waving Hufflepuff colors.Even Gryffindors were waving Hufflepuff colors.The Weasley twins were cheering for both Harry and Cedric, one waving Hufflepuff colors and the other Gryffindor.The visiting schools all had on their own school colors, but the Hexside group was the most colorful.While Hogwarts just had some banners and flags, Hexside was a wave of yellow and blue.

As the spectators got comfortable, a group of wizards lead in a dragon and a clutch of eggs with a golden egg in the middle of it.Oh, these poor mothers.She looked so angry.

The judges took their seats at a podium at the other side of the arena.Bagman rushed out just as some fanfare was produced from someone’s wand.

“Welcome Wizards and Witches, students, parents, and visiting guests, to the first task of the Twi-wizard Tournament!” Bagman announced to the cheering crowd.

“Our champions today will each go against their own dragon and collect the golden egg!Champions will be scored out of ten by each our judges for a total of sixty points!”

“The mothers are _not_ going to like that,” Amity said.

“Willow’s prepared.This was a theory,” Luz replied.

“The worst theory!” Gus exclaimed over the cheering.Bagman called in the first champion: Cedric. “We are all hoping they would do literally anything else with the dragons.”

“Too late now,” Amity replied and turned her attention to the arena.Luna tapped her badge and changed her robes yellow and black.

“Super cool,” Luz gushed.

Luna blushed. “Thanks.”

A whistle blew and Cedric walked out into the area.He surveyed the area, paying attention to the steely-eyed glare of the Swedish Short Snout.It let off a puff of smoke and curled tighter around her eggs.

Cedric hid behind one of the rock barriers and started a particularly tricky bit of Transfiguration on another rock.He finished just as the dragon blew fire at his hiding spot.Cedric darted out of the way.The crowd gasped.

“Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow,” Bagman said.

“Boo!” King called. “Catch the human!Fry him up!”

The smoke cleared and there was a Labrador barking opposite Cedric.The dragon focused on the dog and tried to catch it as Cedric raced towards the nest.

“He’s taking risks, this one!” Bagman exclaimed.

“Is that a real dog?” Luz asked, at the edge of her seat.

“Not really,” Luna replied.

“Okay, good.”

The dog was bounding in a circle, trying to keep the dragon’s eyes on it.It’s steps froze for a moment, the transfiguration wearing off slightly, before turning back into a dog. The next moment, the transfiguration fully wore off and the dog was a rock once more. “Clever move — pity it didn’t work!” Bagman said, regarding the dog.

The dragon looked back to its eggs as the dog vanished and saw Cedric leaving the nest with the golden egg under his arm.The crowd cheered in excitement.

The dragon roared and started to breath fire in Cedric’s wake.The crowd gasped in fear.Cedric ran at full speed out of the arena, clothes slightly smoking.Flames followed him to the edge.

“Very good indeed!” Bagman shouted. Cedric was still breathing heavy as he came back out to look at his scores. “And now the marks from the judges!”

The six judges held up glowing numbers, giving him a total of thirty-eight points. The crowd clapped and cheered, especially the Hufflepuffs.Cedric had come out for his marks and was smiling tiredly. After a moment, he went back into the med-tent to get his burns treated.

Luna changed her robes back to black.

“That was so cool!” Luz said as they removed the Swedish Short Snout and her eggs and brought in the Welsh Green with her eggs.She stood protectively in front of her eggs.

“One down, four to go!” Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. “Miss Delacour, if you please!”

Fleur came out of the tent visibly on edge.She stood facing the dragon, but not daring to approach it, yet.She started to cast a complicated looking charm at the dragon.It started to sway back and forth lightly, as if hypnotized.It followed Fleur’s wand movements.It’s eyes started to droop and it lowered it’s head to the ground, asleep.

Fleur crept forward, keeping the movements of her wand light.The crowd was hushed.The dragon snored and shot out a jet of flame, nearly catching Fleur on the skirt.She shouted in surprise and jumped back.

“Oh I’m not sure that was wise!” they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully.The dragon snorted again, waking up.

Fleur waved her wand again, the dragon going back to sleep.She got closer to the nest, within arms length of the golden egg—“Oh . . . nearly! Careful now . . . “—when the dragon snored again, snorting more fire at Fleur, this time catching her skirt.She quickly put it out with a blast of water and retreated away from the dragon’s face.

“Good lord, I thought she’d had it then!”

It took her another ten minutes of inching closer and waving her wand to have the dragon turn it’s head to another direction.She was finally able to grab the egg and bolt it out of the arena.

The crowd erupted into applause.

“Miss Delacour’s marks please?” She came out of the med tent still scorched.

Once again glowing numbers were put into the air.Fleur got a thirty-nine, just beating Cedric.Luna frowned.Karkaroff was really rigging these scores.They cheered again and the dragons were swapped.They placed a Hebridean Black in the arena with her nest of eggs.

“What do you think the eggs are?” Gus asked.

“Probably a clue for the next task,” Amity replied.

“Maybe it has treasure inside of it,” Luz suggested.

Luna smiled and looked at her new friends. “I think it looks like it has a song inside of it.”

The group looked back at the egg nestled in the nest.It was a shiny pure gold covered in swirling lines, like waves, with a small flower clasp at the top.

“Yeah,” Luz said softly, “I can see that.”

“Our third champion is Miss Park.Please join us!” Bagman announced.Luna changed her robe to Hexside colors: yellow and blue.Gus held up his flags, cheering.The other Hexside students waved their banners and yelled in excitement.Luz and Amity yelled as well.King cheered for the dragon, again, even though he liked Willow.

Willow stepped out of the tent, a nervous smile on her face, but head held high.The light glinted off her glasses, hiding her eyes from sight as she took in the large dragon across from her.The dragon stared back.

Willow took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders while the crowd hushed.It was Willow’s time to shine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Willow's fight is next chapter :)


	12. Is that a Weed? - Willow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _No, this is a crayon._   
>  **I'm calling the police!**

Willow walked out into the arena, sun glaring down into her eyes.Distantly, she could hear the crowd cheering, Hexside taking up their normal chant at Grudgby games for her.She stared down the menacing dark purple eyes of the mother dragon.

She took a deep breath and relaxed the tenseness in her shoulders.The crowd hushed.

Willow concentrated on the shrubbery around her, while not taking her eyes off the dragon.Her eyes started to glow green as the greenery grew to be ten feet tall, dense, and cover half of the arena.It grew tall enough to cover the smaller rocks and block most of the arena from view.The leaves thickened as they enlarged, almost becoming new plants entirely.Some even gained a large flower that opened up and had teeth.It thrashed in place a bit, being a distraction.

The dragon growled lowly at the now larger plants while Willow ran over to the side, narrowly missing a stream of fire, while still maintaining cover behind a rock and a new much larger bush.

“Interesting tactic,” Bagman said over the loudspeaker.

Willow focused her meager abomination skills to the bundle of plants below her to make a vaguely human shaped thing.The golem got up and kept to the plants as it made it’s way towards the nest.Willow cast a fire resistant spell over herself and stepped out into the open, swinging a bundle of thick spiked vines at the dragon’s head.

It turned towards her and roared, breathing fire.She dodged, the resistance spell holding up as some fire clipped her arm.She swung another bundle of spiked vines towards the dragon and caught a horn with it, the plant wrapping tightly around.The dragon reared back, dragging Willow forward for a moment before she let go and was flung to the ground and skidded across the dirt.

“Oh, that’s gotta hurt!”

Willow stood up and wiped the mud off her glasses with a quick water spell.The dragon stomped down hard onto the ground, shaking the earth, and causing her to lose her balance again.

She scowled and concentrated on the vine still attached to the dragon.It thickened even more, growing tiny white flowers as it grew, and started to wrap itself more securely around its horns, while the other end anchored itself to the ground, going deep.

The dragon’s head was forced towards the earth by its horns.It tried to use its arms and legs to push up, but it was unable to get any leverage or move it’s head.It lashed it’s tail towards her and she had to quickly throw herself out of the way into the enlarged shrubbery.The dragon breathed fire on the vines holding it and they snapped under the strain of fire and pulling pressure.

The faint connection with the plant abomination flared as it completed it’s first task of getting the golden egg, but it died a swift death when the dragon breathed fire onto her eggs, burning up her creation.

“She was so close!”

Willow smirked and buried her hands into the earth.The ground under the egg, which was dropped outside of the nest, rumbled before the egg sank beneath the ground.

The crowd gasped as the egg vanished.The dragon roared in distress.

Willow focused on moving the egg through the ground and over to her.She shrank the shrubbery down, back to it’s original height at the same time.She stood up and the egg popped out of the ground and flew into the air.She caught it gently in her arms.

The crowd was silent for a moment before someone in the Hexside group—probably Luz—screamed in excitement.

“Miss Park has completed the challenge!”

Dragon handlers swarmed the arena to take out her exhausted dragon and her eggs while Willow waited off to the side to get her scores.

The judges drew numbers in the air with their wands (Principal Bump cast some illusion magic). Altogether she got forty-eight points from the six judges.Not bad, but she did wonder what she got taken off for.

After that, she was bustled into the nurse’s tent and was told to sit on a bed as her minor scrapes and bruises her healed.She dropped the fire resistance spell as she got comfortable.

“That was some impressive fighting, kid,” Ena said, leaning against the entrance.

The crowd cheered on the other side of the wall for Viktor.

“Thanks.Don’t you want to watch the rest of the task?”

“I am. This is just a double.Wanted to make sure you were okay.That one tumble looked bad.”

Willow smiled. “Ah, you do care.”

Eda rolled her eyes. “Don’t get used to it, Wonder Witch.You’re a friend of Luz’s and if you get hurt, I have a sad apprentice.”Illusion Eda ruffled her hair and popped into a shower of sparkles that faded to nothing.

After a while Viktor appeared in the tent to get healed. Distantly, she could hear shocked murmurings and cheering from the crowd.What did he _do?_

The crowd quieted while the dragons were swapped.Harry was announced and the crowd remained started heckling Harry—a stark contrast to every other champion—well quiet except for Luz and a few other lone voices yelling encouragement.

The noise from the crowd raised as Harry probably did something.

“What a daring move!” Bagman announced.

The crowd cheered again and then gasped as Willow heard a blast of fire.

“Great Scott, he can fly!” yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. “Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?” Viktor was not.He was sitting on his cot, like the other champions, being healed and resting.No one made any move to go watch the rest of the champions.

After a few minutes, the dragon roared in the arena and a gust of wind ruffled the tent flaps.

A few seconds later, the crowd erupted into cheers once again.

“Look at that!” Bagman was yelling. “Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!”

The nurse stepped out of the flap, likely waiting for Harry.

“Dragons!” she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. She examined Harry’s shoulder, talking furiously all the while. “Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You’re very lucky . . . this is quite shallow . . . it’ll need cleaning before I heal it up, though. . . .”

She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and it healed instantly.

“Now, just sit quietly for a minute — sit! And then you can go and get your score.”

She bustled over to Cedric, “How does it feel now, Diggory?”

“Knew you could do it, Harry,” Willow said, smiling.

“Thanks,” he said as he stood up.

Before Harry could go far Ron and Hermione rushed into the tent. “Harry, you were brilliant!” Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. “You were amazing! You really were!”

“Harry,” Ron said, very seriously, “whoever put your name in that goblet — I — I reckon they’re trying to do you in!”

“Caught on, have you?” said Harry coldly. “Took you long enough.”

Someone snorted behind Willow and she turned to see Amity covering her mouth to hide her mirth.

“You did great!” Luz squealed, leaping forward and hugging Willow, putting all her weight on her. “What you did with those plants!You have got to get extra credit for that for sure!”

“How’d you do the plant Willow?” Amity asked.

“Barking mad,” said Ron, shaking his head. “Harry, c’mon, they’ll be putting up your scores. . . .” The trio left the tent to get his scores, Harry taking his egg and broom.

“I know _some_ abomination magic.”

“Huh.” Amity looked thoughtful.

“Willow, that was the _coolest_ thing I’ve ever seen and I’m currently in the human world!” Gus exclaimed.

“I’m glad you didn’t hurt the dragon,” Luna said.From the corner of her eye, she saw Viktor flinch.

The champions were herded back to the original tent, the four of them entering together, meeting up with Harry who was already there.Her friends broke off and hung out just outside, waiting for her.

Cedric and Willow grinned at Harry in greeting. “Good one, Harry,” Cedric said.

“And you,” said Harry, grinning back.

“Well done, all of you!” said Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. “Now, just a quick few words. You’ve got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth — but we’re giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you’re all holding, you will see that they open . . . see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg — because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!”

Harry and Willow left the tent, rejoined their friends, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Harry and Willow wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail. Then, as they rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them.

Amity screamed a sent a blast of fire at her; Luz raised her hands in a karate type move while King squeaked from his place on Luz’s head and slid down into her hood.

It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them.

“Congratulations, Harry!” she said, beaming at him and completely ignoring Willow. “I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?”

“Yeah, you can have a word,” said Harry savagely. “Good-bye.” And they set off back to the castle with their friends.


	13. Sorry for the Party Rocking - Amity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were attending a lecture on the Boiling Isles, what would you ask?
> 
> Also, CW for underage drinking. I tried to make it responsible as possible, but there's still a tiny bit of mead given to children.

Amity and her friends split off from the Hogwarts students and headed back to their dorm.They were planning a big party to congratulate Willow and the timing was working out perfectly since it had been a fair bit of time since the task ended.It was Luz’s job to stall Willow long enough so they can finish setting up.

“Luna,” Gus said, as they walked, “do you want to come over to our dorms for a bit?”

Luna smiled. “That’d be lovely, thank you.I’ll need to tell Professor Flitwick, just in case I stay late.”

The boy nodded and the group changed directions.

Luz was informing Willow of the other champion’s feats, while wondering what the next one could be.

Professor Flitwick smiled at the group knowingly and handed Luna a hall pass. “Behave yourselves,” he warned with a wink.

The party was in full swing by the time they got back.

“Willow!” the group inside cheered as they walked in.Some of the popular girls dragged Willow into a conversation about how cool her moves were and Willow blushed.Boscha sulked in a corner, scrolling down her Penstagram. Luz sidled up next to Amity and handed her a cup of punch.

“Today’s been fun!” she said over the music.

Amity took a sip of punch and immediately choked—not punch.It was mead.She glanced at the “punch” bowl and Emira and Edric smiled back at her, waving with their fingers mockingly.Of course they managed to get Apple Blood Mead to a party of fourteen year olds.

“Are you okay?” Luz asked, hand on Amity’s back in comfort.

“Yeah.Wasn’t expecting alcohol.”

“Wait what?” She looked down at her cup. “There’s alcohol in this?”

Amity laughed. “Yeah, dummy.It’s Apple Blood Mead.” Amity took another sip, this time ready for the slight burn.

Luz looked around the room, trying to find, Amity assumed, Bump or Eda. “We’re going to get in _so much_ _trouble_.”

“It’s been approved.”

“What?Mami is a nurse, and she’s told me that alcohol is bad for developing brains.”

Amity frowned.She knew that her siblings were on drink bowl watch duty so that no one had more than two glasses.Eda and Bump had approved the small amount of alcohol as a treat for the party.It’s why they were also there supervising. They were just better hidden.

“I can get you something else.My dumb siblings are making sure no one has too much.They’re good at that.” The amount of times she tried to get food from the kitchen, only to be blocked by a spell cast by those two, _ugh_.

“Hmm, okay, yeah.”

Amity pulled Luz over to the cooler and handed her a soda.

They ate some food and chatted with their friends, even taking a moment to dance on the make-shift dance floor someone magicked up.

“This party is great!” Willow shouted as she came over to them later in the night.Her cheeks were flushed pink and she was smiling widely.

Luz squealed and hugged her friend. “I’m glad!Do you know what’s in the egg?”

Willow shook her head a little too hard.

“Put it in my room.Didn’t want to break it, or something.Let’s dance!” Willow declared and pulled Luz to the dance floor.

Amity watched, a small smile on her face, as her girlfriend made ridiculous moves to get Willow—and by extension, Amity—to laugh.

Luna drifted over, her robe long since discarded in one of their rooms, and hair going everywhere, ribbons askew.

“Are you having fun?” Amity asked her.

She smiled and nodded, eyes wide. “Yes.Thank you for having me.I’ve never been invited to a party like this before.”

“It’s my sibling’s doing.They’re good at this kind of thing.”

“Yeah.” The conversation moved onto other topics as the night wound down and people drifted off to their rooms to sleep.

Around one in the morning, Eda came into the main room and sent the rest of them to bed.Luna ended up bunking in with Amity, Luz, and Willow.

Amity and Luz shared Amity’s bed while Luna took Luz’s.It ended up working quite nicely.

The next morning, the Hexside students made their way down to a late breakfast, only a handful of them not nursing headaches.

A couple of the healing track students practiced their spells on the hungover students.

Amity was grateful and vowed to get them something nice.

“Better?” Luz asked.

“Much.” Amity gently kissed Luz’s cheek, both girls turning bright red after the action.

“Thank you for not making a big deal out of me not drinking.”

“It’s your choice.”

“Drinking?” Hermione asked, looking up from her book.From the look of the Gryffindors (and the Hufflepuffs) there were also parties going on in those dorms last night.

“My siblings got some apple blood mead and we could have a little in celebration.”

“Don’t you mean apple juice?” Harry asked.

“Aren’t you fourteen?It’s not good to be drinking that young,” Hermione said, shocked. “Your teacher allowed that?”

“No, she doesn’t,” Luz said to Harry.She turned to Hermione. “Principal Bump and Eda were there to make sure everyone stayed safe, and Emira and Edric only let people have like two small glasses.And they were watered down.I agree with you, but the adults were there if anything happened.”

Hermione frowned, and opened her mouth to argue.

“Oh boy!” Gus exclaimed sitting down at the table and unknowingly cutting off Hermione’s rant. “Yesterday was amazing!”Willow sat down next to Gus and laid her head on the table, groaning into it.

“I’m so tired,” Willow whispered, “Gus, my head hurts, please stop yelling.”

Gus calmed slightly. “Sorry.Hey, Cat!” Gus immediately yelled down the table.

Willow moaned and covered her ears, eyes clenched tight.

Amity giggled quietly at her friend’s misfortune.

“Gus,” Luz scolded. “Stop hurting my friend.”

“What?” He stopped gesturing for Cat to come heal Willow and looked at poor Willow with her head on the table. “Oh, sorry, Willow.”

“Just…be quieter, please.”

“Right.” He sat back down, almost vibrating in his seat.

“What’s going on?” Luz asked suspiciously. Luz was right, Gus was too excited for a day off.

Gus shook harder as Cat healed Willow’s hangover and walked away.Once Willow started eating, her face looking much less pale, the words seemed to burst out of him.

“We get to go to the wizard village!”

“What wizard village?” Luz asked.

“At the bottom of the hill.An actual human wizard village. I wonder what weird and cool human things I can find!”

Luz squealed. “And I thought Hogwarts was cool!An actual village filled with tiny shops selling cauldrons and spells and love potions and pointy hats and gross things in jars.”

“What do you need to go to some random village for? You can find all of that in the Boiling Isles,” King said, popping up from under the table.

Luz picked him up and set him on the table so he could grab food.

“Yeah, but some of those stalls at the market try to take my body parts for recipes.I’ve also almost been eaten by a large butterfly before.I think this village will be a lot less scary.”

Hermione, Harry, and Ron looked horrified at Luz’s statement.

“I’m sorry—what?” Hermione asked.

“What?” Luz asked, confused.

“Eaten by a butterfly?” Ron asked. “That can’t be that scary.”

“Well, it was twelve feet across, eight feet tall, had teeth on all four wings, and its actual mouth was filled with a long slimy tongue that dripped blue drool that I’m _pretty_ sure dissolved the grass at our feet.Oh, and it also had like shark teeth in its mouth.It did smell like a fresh morning breeze, though.”

“What the bloody hell?” Ron asked.

Luz laughed. “It’s fine. Eda came by and did a Distraction Spell.It ate that and we ran away.”

“It could eat spells?” Hermione asked, aghast.

Luz looked confused for a moment, then laughed. “Oh no, Eda’s distraction spell is her throwing a bag of Hex Mix and yelling ‘Distraction Spell’.It’s worked a surprising amount of times.”

Ron choked on his food, laughing.

“It’s a waste of good Hex Mix,” King groused.

Luz’s face got all squishy as she looked at King. “Aww, poor King.” She cuddled him close.

“Yes, cuddles for the King of Demons!”

Amity snorted at her ridiculous girlfriend and her demon and went back to eating.

“So, Willow, did you open your egg yet?” Hermione asked.

Willow shook her head. “The party started like right after we got in and I didn’t want to damage it.”

“Damage _it?_ ” Ron asked, shocked.

Harry laughed and explained, “When I opened it, it screamed really loudly.Banshee levels of loud.”

“I think our gym teacher at Hexside is a banshee,” Luz said, “She screams loud enough.”

“Every time one of you tell us more about your school—”Hermione started.

“—And world—” Ron added.

“—And creatures—” Harry ‘helpfully’ added.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but continued, “—I get more and more concerned.”

Amity shared a glance with Willow and Gus, not quite getting what was concerning Hermione.That was just home for them.If anything, this realm was too tame, and needed more excitement.

Luz was the one to answer them, “It was pretty terrifying at first, but after you get used to it…”She trailed off, staring into space.

“Luz?” Amity asked, concerned.

She shook herself out of the memory. “It’s still pretty terrifying, but I’ve learned so many things, and I have people around me to help with the terrifying things.”

“Ugh, the human is doing that heartfelt feelings thing again,” Boscha said as she walked past them.

“Yeah, well, you’re in the human realm right now, Boscha, so you kinda have to get used to that happening.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, human.”

“Good job yesterday, Willow,” Skara said as she follow Boscha.

“Super cool,” Bo said. “Gus when are we having another meeting?There’s so much to learn about here!”

“I’m not the president anymore,” Gus reminded her.

Bo shrugged. “I don’t care. Mattholomule wasn’t allowed on the trip and Eileen and I have been talking about how we want to have another meeting.Maybe some of you human friends can join.” She glanced at the Hogwarts trio.

Gus hummed in thought. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Bo, come on!” Skara called.

“Coming!” she called back. “Think about it!” she said to Gus and ran to catch up to Skara and Boscha.

“What were you president of?” Hermione inquired.

“The Human Appreciation Society.Maybe Bump will let me start up one here.I’m going to go ask.” He jumped up and ran to ask Principal Bump.

“Are humans really that rare in the Boiling Isles?” Hermione asked the group.

“Yep!” Luz exclaimed. “I’m the only human in the Boiling Isles, and the first to train as a witch.” She puffed out her chest, proud.

Amity laughed. “Dork.” Luz very maturely stuck her tongue out at Amity.

An explosion of sound happened at the head table.Amity looked over, bright blue letters hovering over Gus’s head saying ‘ _He said yes!’_.Gus danced in placed in front of a laughing Eda and a defeated Principal Bump.

“Oh my god,” Luz whispered, bursting into laughter.


End file.
